[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 14, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15043-15044]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-6087]


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

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency


Request for Tribal Consultation on the Minority Business 
Development Agency's (MBDA) Native American Business Enterprise Center 
(NABEC) Program; Notice of Public Webinars

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Meeting Notice.

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

SUMMARY: The Department of Commerce's (Department) Minority Business 
Development Agency (MBDA) seeks to redesign its Native American 
Business Center (NABEC) program. The NABEC program is a key component 
of MBDA's business development assistance program and promotes the 
growth and competitiveness of eligible Native American and minority-
owned businesses. As part of the NABEC program, businesses that are 
owned or controlled by the following persons or groups of persons are 
eligible to receive business assistance services: American Indians and 
Native Americans (including Alaska Natives, Alaska Native Corporations, 
Tribal entities, tribal universities and tribal governments), African 
Americans, Asian Indian Americans, Asian and Pacific Islander 
Americans, Hasidic Jewish Americans, and Hispanic Americans.
    The MBDA will conduct two webinars, on March 13 and 15, 2012, to 
seek input and recommendations from tribal organizations and tribal 
governments on the proposed redesign of the NABEC program. MBDA has 
planned a more cohesive program involving collaboration among the 
NABECs and Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to achieve the same 
program goals, and to expand and promote export initiatives and 
international trade opportunities aligned with President Obama's 
National Export Initiative (NEI).

DATES: Webinars will be held on the following dates and times: March 
13, 2012, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. EDT; and March 15, 2012 at 3 p.m.-4 p.m. EDT. 
Registration information is provided in SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dee Alexander, Senior Advisor on 
Native American Affairs, Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental 
Affairs, Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW., Room 
5422, Washington, DC 20230, by telephone at (202) 482-0789, or by email 
at [email protected]. You may also contact Holden Hoofnagle, Chief of 
the MBDA Office of Business Development,

[[Page 15044]]

by telephone at (202) 482-3937, or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    Pursuant to Executive Order 11625, MBDA was created specifically to 
foster the establishment and growth of MBEs. MBDA promotes the 
strategic growth and expansion of MBEs by offering management and 
technical assistance through a nationwide network of 40 business 
centers. Among the 40 business centers, there are six NABECs and one 
satellite office specifically designed to serve the Native American and 
Alaska Native population providing overall business development 
assistance services and promoting the growth and competitiveness of 
eligible Native American and minority-owned businesses. The NABECs are 
located in the following cities: Mesa, Arizona; El Monte, California; 
Albuquerque, New Mexico; Tulsa, Oklahoma; Seattle, Washington; 
Bismarck, North Dakota; and Anchorage, Alaska (satellite office). Each 
NABEC has a designated geographic area surrounding the state in which 
it is located, with the following exceptions: the NABEC in Seattle, 
Washington covers the states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho; and the 
NABEC in Bismarck, North Dakota covers the states of North Dakota and 
South Dakota. The Anchorage, Alaska satellite office is operated from 
the NABEC located in Mesa, Arizona.
    The NABEC services include, but are not limited to, initial 
consultations and assessments, business technical assistance, 
education, and access to federal and non-federal procurement and 
financing opportunities. Specific performance requirements and metrics 
are used by MBDA to evaluate each project and become a key component of 
the NABEC program. More information on the NABEC programs can be found 
on MBDA's Web site at http://www.mbda.gov/main/grantcompetitions.
    Under the current program, federal funding for centers ranges from 
$200,000 to $297,500 and each center has a required cost share of 10 
percent of total project cost. All six centers are under three-year 
cooperative agreements which expire in August 2012. MBDA expects to 
redesign the current NABEC program with an anticipated start date of 
September 1, 2012.
    The Department's Tribal Consultation Official and Senior Advisor on 
Native American Affairs, Dee Alexander, will coordinate and schedule 
tribal consultations in conjunction with the MBDA Office of Business 
Development (OBD) regarding the business development services available 
to Native American organizations through MBDA. MBDA has designed the 
webinars, as part of the tribal consultation schedule, to allow tribal 
governments and organizations an opportunity to provide information 
into the planned redesign of the current NABEC program. MBDA intends 
that the new program will be more cohesive and compatible for 
collaboration among the funded Centers so the Centers can achieve their 
program goals, expand operations, and participate in export initiatives 
and international deals aligned with President Obama's National Export 
Initiative (NEI).

II. Registration

    Participants may register for the webinars online using the links 
provided below. The registration links may also be found on MBDA's Web 
site at www.mbda.gov.
     March 13, 2012, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. EDT. Webinar registration 
site: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW6862819&p=7403577&t=c.
     March 15, 2012, 3 p.m.-4 p.m. EDT. Webinar registration 
site: https://www.mymeetings.com/nc/join.php?i=PW6862819&p=7403577&t=c.

    If there are specific questions you would like MBDA to address 
during the webinars, please send your question(s) to MBDA no later than 
March 12, 2012. There will be time for questions from the participants 
at the end of each Webinar.

    Dated: March 8, 2012.
Josephine Arnold,
Chief Counsel, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 2012-6087 Filed 3-13-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P