[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 217 (Thursday, November 12, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58246-58248]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-26902]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No.: 0910271380-91383-01]


Extension of the Award Period for Certain Minority Business 
Enterprise Centers

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) publishes this 
notice to allow for a funded extension of up to 12 months, on a non-
competitive basis, of the award periods for those Minority Business 
Enterprise Centers (MBECs) identified in this notice. This action is 
necessary to allow continued program delivery by the incumbent MBEC 
operators while MBDA completes an evaluation of the MBEC Program and 
the solicitation and award processes for the next funding cycle.

DATES: The extension and related funding, if approved by the Department 
of Commerce Grants Officer, will commence at the end of the current 
award period and will continue for a period not to exceed 12 months.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Efrain Gonzalez, Chief, Office of 
Business Development, Minority Business Development Agency, 1401 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 5075, Washington, DC 20230. Mr. Gonzalez 
may be reached by telephone at (202) 482-1940 and by e-mail at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Pursuant to Executive Order 11625, the MBEC 
Program provides standardized business assistance and development 
services directly to eligible minority-owned businesses. The MBEC 
Program is a key component of MBDA's overall business development 
assistance program; it promotes the growth and competitiveness of 
minority business enterprises, and further incorporates an 
entrepreneurial approach to the delivery of client services. This 
strategy expands the reach and service delivery of the MBEC Program by 
requiring project operators to develop and build upon strategic 
alliances with public and private sector partners as a means of serving 
eligible businesses within each MBEC's applicable geographical service 
area.
    MBDA amends its prior competitive solicitations under the MBEC 
Program, as referenced in the below table, to allow for a funded 
extension of up to 12 months, on a non-competitive basis, of the award 
period for the following MBEC projects:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Geographical
         Name of project            Name of operator       service area       Original Federal Register notice
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama MBEC....................  Mobile Area Chamber  State of Alabama...  71 FR 42351, as amended by 71 FR
                                   of Commerce, Inc.                         45773.
Georgia MBEC....................  Georgia Tech         State of Georgia...  71 FR 42351.
                                   Research
                                   Corporation
Miami MBEC......................  M. Gill &            Miami/Ft.            72 FR 67277.
                                   Associates, Inc.     Lauderdale/Pompano
                                                        Beach MSA.
Mississippi MBEC................  Arkansas Regional    State of             71 FR 42351, as amended by 71 FR
                                   Minority Business    Mississippi.         45773.
                                   Council.
North Carolina MBEC.............  North Carolina       State of North       71 FR 42351.
                                   Institute of         Carolina.
                                   Minority Economic
                                   Development.
South Carolina MBEC.............  DESA, Inc.           State of South       71 FR 42351.
                                                        Carolina.
Chicago MBEC....................  Chicago Community    State of Illinois..  71 FR 42351.
                                   Ventures.
Detroit MBEC....................  Michigan Minority    State of Michigan..  71 FR 42351, as amended by 71 FR
                                   Business                                  58788.
                                   Development
                                   Council.
Indianapolis MBEC...............  State of Indiana.    State of Indiana...  71 FR 42351.

[[Page 58247]]

 
St. Louis MBEC..................  St. Louis Minority   State of Missouri..  71 FR 42351.
                                   Business
                                   Development
                                   Council.
Dallas MBEC.....................  Grijalva & Allen,    Dallas/Fort Worth/   71 FR 42351.
                                   P.C.                 Arlington MSA.
El Paso MBEC....................  El Paso Hispanic     El Paso MSA........  72 FR 71621.
                                   Chamber of
                                   Commerce.
New Mexico MBEC.................  NEDA Business        State of New Mexico  71 FR 42351.
                                   Consultants, Inc.
San Antonio MBEC................  University of Texas  San Antonio MSA....  71 FR 42351.
                                   at San Antonio.
Manhattan MBEC..................  Interracial Council  New York Counties    71 FR 42351.
                                   for Business         of: New York,
                                   Opportunity.         Bronx &
                                                        Westchester.
New Jersey MBEC.................  Interracial Council  State of New Jersey  71 FR 42351.
                                   for Business
                                   Opportunity.
Pennsylvania....................  The Enterprise       State of             71 FR 42351.
                                   Center.              Pennsylvania.
Puerto Rico MBEC................  Asociacion           Puerto Rico          71 FR 42351.
                                   Productos de         Islandwide.
                                   Puerto Rico.
Queens MBEC.....................  Jamaica Business     New York Counties    71 FR 42351.
                                   Resource Center.     of: Queens, Nassau
                                                        & Suffolk.
Washington DC Metro MBEC........  National Community   Washington, DC/      71 FR 42351.
                                   Reinvestment         Arlington/
                                   Coalition, Inc.      Alexandria MSA.
Williamsburg MBEC...............  ODA Community        New York Counties    71 FR 42351.
                                   Development          of: Kings &
                                   Corporation.         Richmond.
Arizona MBEC....................  Arizona Hispanic     State of Arizona...  71 FR 42351.
                                   Chamber of
                                   Commerce
                                   Foundation.
Honolulu MBEC...................  University of        Honolulu MSA.......  72 FR 67277.
                                   Hawaii.
Inland Empire MBEC..............  CHARO Community      California Counties  71 FR 42351.
                                   Development          of: Orange,
                                   Corporation.         Riverside, Inland
                                                        Empire, San Diego
                                                        & San Bernardino.
Los Angeles MBEC................  University of        California Counties  71 FR 42351.
                                   Southern             of: Los Angeles &
                                   California.          Ventura.
Nevada MBEC.....................  New Ventures         State of Nevada....  71 FR 42351.
                                   Capital
                                   Development
                                   Company.
Northern California MBEC........  Asian, Inc.          California Counties  71 FR 42351.
                                                        of: Santa Clara,
                                                        Alameda, San
                                                        Francisco, San
                                                        Mateo, San Benito,
                                                        Monterey, Santa
                                                        Cruz, Sonoma,
                                                        Napa, Solano,
                                                        Contra Costa,
                                                        Mendocino, San
                                                        Joaquin,
                                                        Sacramento, &
                                                        Marin.
Washington MBEC.................  Seattle Business     State of Washington  71 FR 42351.
                                   Assistance Center.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    MBDA takes this action to allow for continued program delivery by 
the incumbent MBEC operators while MBDA completes its evaluation of the 
MBEC Program and of the competitive solicitation and award processes 
for the next funding cycle.
    The award extension and additional funding referenced herein will 
be made at the sole discretion of MBDA and the Department of Commerce 
using the following evaluation criteria: (1) The MBEC's program 
performance rating during the current program period; (2) the 
availability of appropriated funds; and (3) MBDA and Department of 
Commerce's priorities. MBDA will review each MBEC project's performance 
rating as evaluated through the standardized performance reports and 
assessments required under the MBEC Program in determining which 
projects will be offered an extension. Although MBDA is allowing for an 
extension of the award period for projects awarded under the MBEC 
Program, it is possible that not all projects will be offered an 
extension.
    Funding for award extensions is contingent upon the availability of 
Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations, which have not yet been appropriated 
for the MBEC program. MBDA therefore issues this notice subject to the 
appropriations made available under the current continuing resolution, 
H.R. 2918, Division B, ``Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2010,'' 
Public Law 111-68. In no event will MBDA or the Department of Commerce 
be responsible for any costs incurred outside of the current award 
period by the incumbent operators of the MBEC projects affected by this 
notice if the MBEC Program fails to receive funding or if an award 
extension is not made because of other MBDA or Department of Commerce 
priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige MBDA or 
the Department of Commerce to award any extensions or to obligate any 
available funds.

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 February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696) are applicable to this notice.

Paperwork Reduction Act

    This document contains collection of information requirements 
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of the MBDA 
Performance Online Database and Standard Forms 424, 424A and 424B has 
been approved by OMB under the control numbers 0640-0002, 4040-0004, 
4040-0006 and 4040-0007, respectively. 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 PRA unless that collection displays a 
currently valid OMB Control Number.

[[Page 58248]]

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.

David A. Hinson,
National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. E9-26902 Filed 11-10-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P