[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 121 (Monday, June 26, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 41459-41461]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-13433]


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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Tribal Listening Sessions for Small Business Development Centers

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice of tribal listening sessions; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency) 
announces that it is holding tribal listening sessions in Washington, 
DC and New York, NY, concerning proposed revisions to the Small 
Business Development Centers (SBDC) Program regulations. Additionally, 
SBA requests comments and input on how best to propose policies or 
regulations to deliver business development services more efficiently 
and effectively to underserved communities in Indian Country. Testimony 
presented at these tribal listening sessions will become part of the 
administrative record for SBA's consideration when the Agency 
deliberates on approaches to changes in the regulations governing the 
SBDC Program.

DATES: The Tribal Listening Sessions dates are as follows:
    1. Tuesday, July 18, 2023, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (EDT), 
Washington, DC. Pre-registration for this Tribal Listening Session is 
requested by July 14, 2023.
    2. Thursday, July 20, 2023, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (EDT), New York, 
New York. Pre-registration for this Tribal Listening Session is 
requested by July 18, 2023.

ADDRESSES: 
    Meeting Locations:
    1. The Tribal Listening Session in Washington, DC will be held at 
the National Museum of the American Indian, 300 Maryland Ave. SW, 
Washington, DC 20004. Commenters and attendees may participate in-
person or remotely at this listening session.
    2. The Tribal Listening Session in New York, New York will be held 
at the Native Edge Institute--New York, Hard Rock Hotel New York, 159 
West 48th Street, New York, New York 10036.

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    Pre-registration: Send pre-registration requests to attend and/or 
testify to Chequita Carter of SBA's Office of Native American Affairs, 
U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC 
20416; [email protected]; or Facsimile to (202) 481-2177.
    Comments: You may submit comments, identified by Regulations 
Identifier Number (RIN) 3245-AE05, by any of the following methods:
     Email: to Jackson S. Brossy, Assistant Administrator, 
Office of Native American Affairs, U.S. Small Business Administration, 
at [email protected].
     Mail (for paper, disk, or CD-ROM submissions): to Jackson 
S. Brossy, Assistant Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs, 
U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 3rd Street SW, Washington, DC 
20416.
    Instructions: All submissions received will become part of the 
administrative record for any rulemaking resulting from these tribal 
listening sessions. As such, comments received may be posted on http://www.regulations.gov. If you wish to submit confidential business 
information (CBI) as defined in the User Notice at http://www.regulations.gov, please submit the comments to Jackson S. Brossy 
and highlight the information that you consider to be CBI and explain 
why you believe this information should be held confidential. SBA will 
make a final determination as to whether the comments will be 
published.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Chequita Carter, Program Assistant for 
SBA's Office of Native American Affairs, at [email protected] or 
(202) 205-6680 or by facsimile to (202) 481-2177. This phone number can 
also be reached by individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who 
have speech disabilities, through the Federal Communications 
Commission's TTY-Based Telecommunications Relay Service teletype 
service at 711.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    SBA published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on 
April 2, 2015, 80 FR 17708, seeking comments on the development of new 
definitions, clarification of existing program requirements, and the 
renewal or termination of the notice of award in the SBDC Program. The 
ANPRM also solicited comments on international trade counselor 
certification requirements, required steps for the selection of Lead 
Center Directors, procedures for international travel, and procedures 
regarding the suspension, termination or nonrenewal of an SBDC's 
cooperative agreement.
    SBA received 133 comments on this ANPRM, most of which generally 
fell into four categories: the role of the District Office, 
definitions/clarifications, client confidentiality, and the Lead Center 
Director hiring process. After considering these comments, on December 
13, 2023, SBA published a proposed rule concerning the SBDC Program 
under RIN 3245-AE05 with the following proposed revisions. 87 FR 76127. 
First, SBA proposed to clarify and define the role of the District 
Office regarding grant oversight activities by proposing new 
definitions and procedures throughout program regulations. Second, SBA 
proposed the addition of 23 new definitions and the revision of 
existing definitions to explicitly define and clarify the various 
roles, procedures, documents, and categories of funding. Third, SBA 
proposed a new section to codify SBDC client confidentiality 
requirements under the Small Business Development Centers Act of 1980 
(Pub. L. 96-302, 94 Stat. 833). Finally, the rule proposed to add the 
current process of hiring a Lead Center Director, as outlined in the 
cooperative agreement. The intent of these changes was to make SBDC 
Program operations more streamlined and less onerous for recipient 
organizations and the Agency and to align with current practices 
required under the notice of funding opportunity and cooperative 
agreement. The majority of the proposed changes were already required 
and implemented by the SBDCs; however, the proposed regulations sought 
to formally promulgate existing requirements in the SBDC Program 
regulations to ensure consistency. In addition, the rule proposed to 
incorporate the Uniform Guidance at 2 CFR part 200, which streamlined 
and consolidated government requirements for receiving and using 
Federal awards to reduce administrative burden and improve outcomes. 
SBA specifically requested comments on these proposed revisions to the 
SBDC Program regulations.
    The Agency is aware of recent studies indicating that geographic 
and other barriers limit access to in-person SBDC services in Native 
communities nationwide. SBA is seeking comments and input on approaches 
to improve access to SBDC Program Services in Native communities.

II. Tribal Listening Sessions

    The purpose of these tribal listening sessions is to provide 
interested parties with an opportunity to discuss their views on the 
issues; and for SBA to obtain the views of SBA's stakeholders on 
approaches to the SBDC Program regulations. SBA considers tribal 
listening sessions a valuable component of its deliberations and 
believes that these tribal listening sessions will allow for 
constructive dialogue with the Tribal community, Tribal Leaders, Tribal 
Elders, elected members of Alaska Native Villages or their appointed 
representatives, and principals of tribally-owned and Alaska Native 
Corporation (ANC)-owned firms participating in SBA's programs.
    The format of these tribal listening sessions will consist of a 
panel of SBA representatives who will preside over the session. The 
oral and written testimony as well as any comments SBA receives will 
become part of the administrative record for SBA's consideration. 
Written testimony may be submitted in lieu of oral testimony. SBA will 
analyze the testimony, both oral and written, along with any written 
comments received. SBA officials may ask questions of a presenter to 
clarify or further explain the testimony. The purpose of the tribal 
consultation is to assist SBA with gathering information to guide SBA's 
review process and to potentially develop new proposals. SBA requests 
that the comments focus on SBA's proposed rulemaking concerning the 
SBDC Program, general issues as they pertain to the SBDC Program, or 
the unique concerns of the Tribal communities. SBA requests that 
commenters do not raise issues pertaining to other SBA small business 
programs. Presenters are encouraged to provide a written copy of their 
testimony. SBA will accept written material that the presenter wishes 
to provide that further supplements his or her testimony. Electronic or 
digitized copies are encouraged.
    Each tribal listening session will be held for one day. The meeting 
in Washington, DC will begin at 3 p.m. and end at 5 p.m. (EDT); and the 
meeting in New York, New York will begin at 3:30 p.m. and end at 4:30 
p.m. (EDT). SBA will adjourn early if all those scheduled have 
delivered their testimony.

III. Registration

    SBA respectfully requests that any elected or appointed 
representative of the tribal communities or principal of a tribally-
owned, or ANC-owned firm that is interested in attending please pre-
register in advance and indicate whether you would like to testify at 
the hearing. However, pre-registration is not required for attendance. 
SBA requests that attendees register with SBA no later than: July 14, 
2023, for the listening

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session in Washington; and July 18, 2023, for the listening session in 
New York. To register, please contact Chequita Carter of SBA's Office 
of Native American Affairs in writing at [email protected] or by 
facsimile to (202) 481-2177. If you are interested in testifying, 
please include the following information relating to the person 
testifying: Name, Organization affiliation, Address, Telephone number, 
Email address and Fax number. For those who wish to remotely attend the 
session in Washington, DC, SBA will provide further instructions upon 
registration. SBA will attempt to accommodate all interested parties 
that wish to present testimony. Based on the number of registrants it 
may be necessary to impose time limits to ensure that everyone who 
wishes to testify has the opportunity to do so. SBA will confirm in 
writing the registration of presenters and attendees.

IV. Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities

    For information on facilities or services for individuals with 
disabilities or to request special assistance at the listening session, 
contact Chequita Carter at the telephone number or email address 
indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT section of this 
notice.
    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 634 and E.O. 13175, 65 FR 67249.

Jackson S. Brossy,
Assistant Administrator, Office of Native American Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2023-13433 Filed 6-23-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8026-09-P