[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 113 (Friday, June 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33577-33579]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14340]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Announcement of Startup in a Day Competition; Dream Big Model

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces the 
2015 Startup in a Day Competition--Dream Big Model, pursuant to the 
America Competes Act, to spur the development, implementation, and 
improvement of online tools that will let entrepreneurs learn about the 
business startup process in their area, including how to register and 
apply for all required local licenses and permits--all in one day or 
less.

DATES: The submission period for entries begins 12:00 p.m. EDT, June 
11, 2015 and ends July 13, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Winners will be 
announced no later than August 31, 2015.

ADDRESSES: For further information, please contact the U.S. Small 
Business Administration, Startup in a Day--IGA, 409 Third Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20416, (202) 205-7364, [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Competition Details

    1. Subject of Competition: The SBA is seeking to support 
entrepreneurs who are navigating the requirements to start a business. 
Currently many of these requirements are in multiple locations and a 
streamlined approach could help entrepreneurs startup more easily. The 
Startup in a Day Competition--Dream Big Model is designed to spur the 
development, implementation, and improvement of online tools that will 
let entrepreneurs learn about the business startup process in their 
area, including how to register and apply for all required local 
licenses and permits, in one day or less. This announcement, the 
Startup in a Day Competition--Dream Big Model, is specific for cities 
and Native American Communities that will develop an open source 
solution that may be freely adopted by localities across the United 
States. An ``open source'' solution is software that can be freely 
used, changed, and shared (in modified or unmodified form) by anyone 
\1\ and complies with generally accepted criteria for distribution 
outlined by the Open Source Initiative (for this criteria, see http://opensource.org/docs/osd#fields-of-endeavor). In order to maximize the 
success of this competition, SBA will work with the National League of 
Cities (NLC), an advocacy organization representing thousands of 
municipalities, to establish a formal mechanism by which all Startup in 
a Day competition winners will be able to collaborate and share best 
practices.
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    \1\ Open Source Initiative, Welcome to The Open Source 
Initiative, Palo Alto, CA: Open Source Initiative. Accessed June 2, 
2015, http://opensource.org/.
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    In conjunction with the Startup in a Day Competition, President 
Barack Obama is asking cities and Native American Communities across 
America to take a pledge to support entrepreneurs in their area by 
making it easier to start a business (for the text of this pledge, see 
sba.gov/startup). While it is not required to enter this Competition, 
all cities and Native

[[Page 33578]]

American Communities are encouraged to take the pledge. As an 
additional encouragement, entries submitted by cities and Native 
American Communities that do take the pledge will receive five (5) 
bonus points during the evaluation process, as stipulated in Item 3: 
Part V below. Furthermore, all Startup in a Day Competition--Dream Big 
Model winners will be required to take the pledge prior to receiving 
their prizes.
    An additional aim of this competition is to stimulate economic 
development in certain Priority Communities. For purposes of the 
Startup in a Day Competition--Dream Big Model, Priority Communities are 
those cities and Native American Communities that fall into one or more 
of the following categories:
     Rural/Non-Metropolitan: Cities or Native American 
Communities that have a population of less than 50,000. For cities, 
please reference http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html. For 
Native American Communities, please reference the most appropriate 
source.
     High Poverty: Cities or Native American Communities where 
20 percent or more of residents are below the poverty level. For 
cities, please reference http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/index.html. 
For Native American Communities, please reference the most appropriate 
source.
     Veterans Economic Community: Being an official participant 
in the Veterans Economic Communities Initiative. To view the list of 
participating cities, please go to http://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/20015/va-launches-campaign-increase-veterans-economic-potential/.
     Promise Zone: Being officially designated as a Promise 
Zone. To view the list of designated Promise Zones and lead 
organizations, please go to www.hud.gov/promisezones.
    2. Eligibility Rules for Participating in the Competition: This 
Competition is open only to the local governments of United States 
cities (referred to as municipalities and townships by the U.S. Census 
Bureau \2\) or American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian 
communities, or their constituent agencies and subdivisions. No city or 
Native American Community may submit more than one entry to the Startup 
in a Day Competition--Dream Big Model. However, cities and Native 
American Communities are allowed to apply to both the Startup in a Day 
Competition--Dream Big Model and to the Startup in a Day Competition--
Start Small Model (see separate announcement). Cities and Native 
American Communities must submit a separate application for each 
competition. However, please note that a city or Native American 
Community cannot win a prize under both announcements. If a city or 
Native American Community is a finalist for both competitions, the city 
or Native American Community will be awarded the larger prize. No city 
or Native American Community that is currently suspended or debarred by 
the Federal government is eligible to take part in this Competition.
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    \2\ U.S. Census Bureau, Governments Division, Lists and 
Structure of Governments, Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. 
Accessed May 18, 2015, http://www.census.gov/govs/go/municipal_township_govs.html.
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    3. Registration Process for Contestants: Contestants in the Startup 
in a Day Competition--Dream Big Model must submit their entries online 
using the link designated for that purpose on challenge.gov, either by 
filtering search criteria to ``Small Business Administration'' or going 
to sba.gov/startup, where the link will be posted. In addition to the 
basic details collected in that short application form, contestants 
must also complete and submit via challenge.gov a proposal and 
attachments that addresses all of the items identified below:

AUTHORIZATION STATEMENT (Not to exceed one (1) page)

     A letter or signed statement by the city or Native 
American Community representative, council, or equivalent approving or 
authorizing the entry on behalf of the city or Native American 
Community.

PROPOSAL (Parts I-III not to exceed two (2) pages)

 Part I: City or Native American Community Description (20 
points)
    (i) Briefly describe your city or Native American Community and its 
story (include applicable data from the most current source (i.e. U.S. 
Census Bureau's ACS)). If your city or Native American Community 
qualifies as a Priority Community as defined in Item 1, also see Part 
IV below.
    (ii) Describe the demand for registering and obtaining permits, 
resources, etc. for small businesses in your city or Native American 
Community (include quantitative analysis).
 Part II: Problem(s) and Solution(s) (40 points)
    (i) Describe the current process, including the problems/obstacles, 
an entrepreneur experiences while trying to register and obtain 
permits, resources, etc. as a small businesses in your city or Native 
American Community.
    (ii) Describe the solution that would solve the problems/obstacles 
described above, if awarded a prize.
 Part III: Implementation (40 points)
    (i) Outline the anticipated timeframe for implementing the solution 
described above.
    (ii) Describe the top five (5) metrics relevant to outputs and 
outcomes that would measure your city's or Native American Community's 
success in solving the stated problems/obstacles.
    (iii) Describe any additional resources that will need to be 
leveraged, including partnerships, to fully implement the proposed 
solution.

OPTIONAL Proposal Addenda (Parts IV and V not to exceed one (1) page 
for each part)

     Part IV: Service to Priority Communities as Defined in 
Item 1 (up to 10 bonus points . . . five (5) points for each eligible 
Priority Community to be served, up to two (2) communities).
    (i) State the Priority Community to be served.
    (ii) Briefly describe the Priority Community in your city (include 
applicable data from the most current sources (i.e., U.S. Census 
Bureau's ACS)).
    (iii) Describe the demand from the Priority Community for 
registering small businesses and/or obtaining permits, resources, etc. 
in your city or Native American Community (include quantitative 
analysis).
     Part V: Taking the Startup in a Day Pledge (five (5) bonus 
points). Cities and Native American Communities that sign the Startup 
in a Day Pledge (for the text of the pledge, see sba.gov/startup) will 
receive five (5) bonus points. Applicants only need to provide a 
statement that they agree to the Startup in a Day Pledge.

BUDGET (Part VI not to exceed one (1) page)

     Part VI: Outline a budget for the proposed solution 
including, but not limited to expenses and any additional funding and/
or support required to fully implement the solution.
    Proposals may not include any confidential and/or proprietary 
information and must be formatted as follows:
    [cir] Length: No more than two (2) pages to answer Parts I-III. No 
more than one (1) page to answer Part IV, one (1) page to answer Part 
V, and one (1) page to answer Part VI.
    [cir] Spacing: 1.5 lines.

[[Page 33579]]

    [cir] Paper Size: 8.5 x 11 with three-quarter (.75) inch margins on 
all sides.
    [cir] Font and Font Size: Calibri, 11 point.
    4. Prizes for Winners: SBA will award up to $250,000 and up to two 
(2) prizes under this announcement to cities and Native American 
Communities that are selected as winners.
    Because the subject of this competition is not just the development 
of online tools to streamline the business startup process, but also 
the implementation and improvement of such tools, prizes will be 
disbursed in three payments. The first payment, equal to 60 percent of 
a winner's total prize amount, will be disbursed once all initial 
requirements (i.e. taking the Startup in a Day pledge, etc.) have been 
met. The second payment, equal to 20 percent of a winner's total prize 
amount, will be disbursed after a winner has presented a demonstration 
of its open source solution to SBA and Agency staff has deemed that 
solution satisfactory. This demonstration must be presented within six 
(6) months of the date of the award unless otherwise specified by the 
SBA. The remaining 20 percent of the total prize amount will be 
disbursed after a winner submits a written assessment that includes, 
but is not limited to, the outcomes and outputs of its Startup in a Day 
activities as measured by the metrics outlined in its proposal, a 
summary of any lessons learned and best practices, and suggestions for 
any improvements to the design or implementation of similar 
competitions in the future. Winners must base this assessment on a 
period of live operation of their Startup in a Day Web tools that is at 
least six (6) months and no more than twelve (12) months in length.
    Regardless of the length of the period of operation on which they 
are based, the written assessment must be submitted to SBA no later 
than 15 months after a winner receives its first prize payment. The 
written assessments, or portions thereof, may be made public. Further 
guidance regarding the format and means of submission of these 
assessments will be provided to winners prior to their acceptance of 
prizes.
    All prizes will be paid via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) and 
winners will be required to create an account in the System for Award 
Management (SAM) in order to receive their prizes.
    5. Selection of Winners: Competition entries will be evaluated by a 
review committee that may be comprised of SBA officials, employees of 
other Federal agencies, and/or private sector experts. Winners will be 
selected based on the quality, clarity, completeness, and feasibility 
of their proposals in addressing the issues outlined in Item 3 of this 
Competition announcement. In addition, in order to achieve nationwide 
distribution of prizes for the purpose of assisting business startups 
across the entire United States, SBA may take into account contestants' 
geographic locations and areas of service when selecting winners. For 
the announcement of winners, any travel or related expenses to attend 
an event will be the responsibility of the winner and may not be paid 
with prize funds.
    6. Applicable Law: This Competition is being conducted by SBA 
pursuant to the America Competes Act (15 U.S.C. 3719) and is subject to 
all applicable federal laws and regulations. By participating in this 
Competition, each contestant gives its full and unconditional agreement 
to the Official Rules and the related administrative decisions 
described in this notice, which are final and binding in all matters 
related to the Competition. A contestant's eligibility for a prize 
award is contingent upon their fulfilling all requirements identified 
in this notice. Publication of this notice is not an obligation of 
funds on the part of SBA. SBA reserves the right to modify or cancel 
this Competition, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the award 
of prizes.
    7. Conflicts of Interest: No individual acting as a judge at any 
stage of this Competition may have personal or financial interests in, 
or be an employee, officer, director, or agent of any contestant or 
have a familial or financial relationship with a contestant.
    8. Intellectual Property Rights: All entries submitted in response 
to this Challenge will remain the sole intellectual property of the 
individuals or organizations that developed them. By registering and 
entering a submission, each contestant represents and warrants that it 
is the sole author and copyright owner of the submission, and that the 
submission is an original work of the contestant, or if the submission 
is a work based on an existing application, that the contestant has 
acquired sufficient rights to use and to authorize others to use the 
submission, and that the submission does not infringe upon any 
copyright or upon any other third party rights of which the contestant 
is aware.
    9. Publicity Rights: By registering and entering a submission, each 
contestant consents to SBA's and its agents' use, in perpetuity, of its 
name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, and/or hometown and state 
information for promotional or informational purposes through any form 
of media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.
    10. Liability and Insurance Requirements: By registering and 
entering a submission, each contestant agrees to assume any and all 
risks and waive claims against the Federal Government and its related 
entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, 
death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether 
direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in 
this Competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises 
through negligence or otherwise. By registering and entering a 
submission, each contestant further represents and warrants that it 
possesses sufficient liability insurance or financial resources to 
cover claims by a third party for death, bodily injury, or property 
damage or loss resulting from any activity it carries out in connection 
with its participation in this Competition, or claims by the Federal 
Government for damage or loss to Government property resulting from 
such an activity. Competition winners should be prepared to demonstrate 
proof of insurance or financial responsibility in the event SBA deems 
it necessary.
    11. Record Retention and Disclosure: All submissions and related 
materials provided to SBA in the course of this Competition 
automatically become SBA records and cannot be returned. Contestants 
should identify any confidential commercial information contained in 
their entries at the time of their submission.
    Award Approving Official: Christopher L. James, Associate 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20416.

    Authority:  15 U.S.C.Sec.  3719.

    Dated: June 8, 2015.
Christopher L. James,
Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-14340 Filed 6-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8025-01-P