[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 200 (Tuesday, October 17, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 53751-53752]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-25468]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Minority Business Development Agency
Business Development Center Applications: Jackson, Mississippi
AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. 1512,
the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting
competitive applications from organizations to operate the Jackson
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 Jackson, Mississippi Metropolitan
Area. The award number of the MBDC will be 04-10-96002-01.
DATES: The closing date for applications is November 27, 1995.
Applications must be received in the MBDA Headquarters' Executive
Secretariat on or before November 27, 1995. A pre-application
conference will be held on November 1, 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.
Proper identification is required for entrance into any Federal
building.
ADDRESSES: Completed application packages should be submitted to the
U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency,
Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 5073,
Washington, D.C. 20230.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND AN APPLICATION PACKAGE, CONTACT: Robert
Henderson 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 February 1, 1996 to February 28, 1997, is estimated at $198,971.
The total Federal amount is $169,125 and is composed of $165,000 plus
the Audit Fee amount of $4,125. The application must include a minimum
cost share of 15%, $29,846 in non-federal (cost-sharing) contributions
for a total project cost of $198,971. 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. If the recommended applicant is the current incumbent
organization, the award will be for 12 months. 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
[[Page 53752]]
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
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,
Sec. 26.105) 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, Sec. 26.605) 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, Sec. 28.105) 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: October 11, 1995.
Donald L. Powers,
Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 95-25468 Filed 10-16-95; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P
