[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 16 (Wednesday, January 25, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4884-4885]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-1885]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Minority Business Development Agency
Business Development Center Applications: Ponce, Puerto Rico
AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. 1512,
the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting
competitive applications to operate its Ponce Minority Business
Development Center (MBDC).
The purpose of the MBDC Program is to provide business development
services to the minority business community to help establish and
maintain viable minority businesses. To this end, MBDA funds
organizations to identify and coordinate public and private sector
resources on behalf of minority individuals and firms; to offer a full
range of client services to minority entrepreneurs; and to serve as a
conduit of information and assistance regarding minority business. The
MBDC will provide service in the Ponce, Puerto Rico Metropolitan Area.
The award number of the MBDC will be 02-10-95008-01.
DATES: The closing date for applications is March 1, 1995. Applications
must be received in the MBDA Headquarters' Executive Secretariat on or
before March 1, 1995. A pre-application conference will be held on
February 15, 1995, at 9:00 a.m., at the Atlanta Regional Office, 401 W.
Peachtree Street, N.W., Suite 1715, Atlanta, Georgia 30308-3516, (404)
730-3300.
ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development
Agency, MBDA Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W.,
Room 5073, Washington, D.C. 20230, (202) 482-3763.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: Robert Henderson, Regional Director
at (404) 730-3300.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal
funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (13 months)
from June 1, 1995 to June 30, 1996, is estimated at $222,196. The total
Federal amount is $188,867 and is composed of $184,260 plus the Audit
Fee amount of $4,607. The application must include a minimum cost share
of 15%, $33,329 in non-federal (cost -sharing) contributions for a
total project cost of $222,196. Cost-sharing contributions may be in
the form of cash, client fees, third party in-kind contributions, non-
cash applicant contributions or combinations thereof.
The funding instrument for this project will be a cooperative
agreement. For those applicants who are not incumbent organizations or
who are incumbents that have experienced closure due to a break in
service, a 30-day start-up period will be added to their first budget
period, making it a 13-month award. Competition is open to individuals,
non-profit and for-profit organizations, state and local governments,
American Indian tribes and educational institutions.
Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: the
knowledge, background and/or capabilities of the firm and its staff in
addressing the needs of the business community in general and,
specifically, the special needs of minority businesses, individuals and
organizations (45 points), the resources available to the firm in
providing business development services (10 points); the firm's
approach (techniques and methodologies) to performing the work
requirements included in the application (25 points); and the firm's
estimated cost for providing such assistance (20 points). An
application must receive at least 70% of the points assigned to each
evaluation criteria category to be considered programmatically
acceptable and responsive. Those applications determined to be
acceptable and responsive will then be evaluated by the Director of
MBDA. Final award selections shall be based on the number of points
received, the demonstrated responsibility of the applicant, and the
determination of those most likely to further the purpose of the MBDA
program. Negative audit findings and recommendations and unsatisfactory
performance under prior Federal awards may result in an application not
being considered for award. The applicant with the highest point score
will not necessarily receive the award. Periodic reviews culminating in
year-to-date evaluations will be conducted to determine if funding for
the project should continue. Continued funding will be at the total
discretion of MBDA based on such factors as the MBDC's performance, the
availability of funds and Agency priorities.
The MBDC shall be required to contribute at least 15% of the total
project cost through non-Federal contributions. To assist in this
effort, the MBDC may charge client fees for services rendered. Fees may
range from $10 to $60 per hour based on the gross receipts of the
client's business.
Anticipated processing time of this award is 120 days. Executive
order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' is not
applicable to this program. Federal funds for this project include
audit funds for non-CPA recipients. In event that a CPA firm wins the
competition, the funds allocated for audits are not applicable.
Questions concerning the preceding information can be answered by the
[[Page 4885]] contact person indicated above, and copies of application
kits and applicable regulations can be obtained at the above address.
The collection of information requirements for this project have been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and assigned OMB
control number 0640-0006.
Awards under this program shall be subject to all Federal laws, and
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
Pre-Award Costs
Applicants are hereby notified that if they incur any costs prior
to an award being made, they do so solely at their own risk of not
being reimbursed by the Government. Notwithstanding any verbal
assurance that an applicant may have received, there is no obligation
on the part of the Department of Commerce to cover pre-award costs.
Outstanding Account Receivable
No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has an
outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either the delinquent account
is paid in full, repayment schedule is established and at least one
payment is received, or other arrangements satisfactory to the
Department of Commerce are made.
Name Check Policy
All non-profit and for-profit applicants are subject to a name
check review process. Name checks are intended to reveal if any key
individuals associated with the applicant have been convicted of or are
presently facing criminal charges such as fraud, theft, perjury or
other matters which significantly reflect on the applicant's management
honesty or financial integrity.
Award Termination
The Departmental Grants Officer may terminate any grant/cooperative
agreement in whole or in part at any time before the date of completion
whenever it is determined that the award recipient has failed to comply
with the conditions of the grant/cooperative agreement. Examples of
some of the conditions which can cause termination are failure to meet
cost-sharing requirements; unsatisfactory performance of the MBDC work
requirements; and reporting inaccurate or inflated claims of client
assistance. Such inaccurate or inflated claims may be deemed illegal
and punishable by law.
False Statements
A false statement on an application for Federal financial
assistance is grounds for denial or termination of funds, and grounds
for possible punishment by a fine or imprisonment as provided in 18
U.S.C. 1001.
Primary Applicant Certifications
All primary applicants must submit a completed Form CD-511,
``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension and Other
Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and
Lobbying.''
Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension
Prospective participants (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section
105) are subject to 15 CFR Part 26, ``Nonprocurement Debarment and
Suspension'' and the related section of the certification form
prescribed above applies.
Drug Free Workplace
Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 605) are subject to
15 CFR Part 26, Subpart F, ``Governmentwide Requirements for Drug-Free
Workplace (Grants)'' and the related section of the certification form
prescribed above applies.
Anti-Lobbying
Persons (as defined at 15 CFR Part 28, Section 105) are subject to
the lobbying provisions of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on use of
appropriated funds to influence certain Federal contracting and
financial transactions,'' and the lobbying section of the certification
form prescribed above applies to applications/bids for grants,
cooperative agreements, and contracts for more than $100,000, and loans
and loan guarantees for more than $150,000 or the single family maximum
mortgage limit for affected programs, whichever is greater.
Anti-Lobbying Disclosures
Any applicant that has paid or will pay for lobbying using any
funds must submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' as
required under 15 CFR Part 28, Appendix B.
Lower Tier Certifications
Recipients shall require applications/bidders for subgrants,
contracts, subcontracts, or other lower tier covered transactions at
any tier under the award to submit, if applicable, a completed Form CD-
512, ``Certifications Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility
and Voluntary Exclusion--Lower Tier Covered Transactions and Lobbying''
and disclosure form, SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.''
Form CD-512 is intended for the use of recipients and should not be
transmitted to DOC. SF-LLL submitted by any tier recipient or
subrecipient should be submitted to DOC in accordance with the
instructions contained in the award document.
Buy American-Made Equipment or Products
Applicants are hereby notified that they are encouraged, to the
extent feasible, to purchase American-made equipment and products with
funding provided under this program in accordance with Congressional
intent as set forth in the resolution contained in Public Law 103-121,
Sections 606 (a) and (b).
11.800 Minority Business Development Center
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)
Dated: January 20, 1995.
Melvin A. Jackson,
Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business
Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 95-1885 Filed 1-24-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P
