E9-26902. Extension of the Award Period for Certain Minority Business Enterprise Centers

AGENCY:

Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

ACTION:

Notice.

SUMMARY:

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) publishes this notice to allow for a funded extension of up to 12 months, on a non-competitive basis, of the award periods for those Minority Business Enterprise Centers (MBECs) identified in this notice. This action is necessary to allow continued program delivery by the incumbent MBEC operators while MBDA completes an evaluation of the MBEC Program and the solicitation and award processes for the next funding cycle.

DATES:

The extension and related funding, if approved by the Department of Commerce Grants Officer, will commence at the end of the current award period and will continue for a period not to exceed 12 months.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Mr. Efrain Gonzalez, Chief, Office of Business Development, Minority Business Development Agency, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 5075, Washington, DC 20230. Mr. Gonzalez may be reached by telephone at [phone] and by e-mail at [e-mail].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to Executive Order 11625, the MBEC Program provides standardized business assistance and development services directly to eligible minority-owned businesses. The MBEC Program is a key component of MBDA's overall business development assistance program; it promotes the growth and competitiveness of minority business enterprises, and further incorporates an entrepreneurial approach to the delivery of client services. This strategy expands the reach and service delivery of the MBEC Program by requiring project operators to develop and build upon strategic alliances with public and private sector partners as a means of serving eligible businesses within each MBEC's applicable geographical service area.

MBDA amends its prior competitive solicitations under the MBEC Program, as referenced in the below table, to allow for a funded extension of up to 12 months, on a non-competitive basis, of the award period for the following MBEC projects:

Name of project	Name of operator	Geographical service area	Original Federal Register notice
Alabama MBEC	Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc.	State of Alabama	71 FR 42351, as amended by 71 FR 45773.
Georgia MBEC	Georgia Tech Research Corporation	State of Georgia	71 FR 42351.
Miami MBEC	M. Gill & Associates, Inc.	Miami/Ft. Lauderdale/Pompano Beach MSA	72 FR 67277.
Mississippi MBEC	Arkansas Regional Minority Business Council.	State of Mississippi	71 FR 42351, as amended by 71 FR 45773.
North Carolina MBEC	North Carolina Institute of Minority Economic Development.	State of North Carolina	71 FR 42351.
South Carolina MBEC	DESA, Inc.	State of South Carolina	71 FR 42351.
Chicago MBEC	Chicago Community Ventures.	State of Illinois	71 FR 42351.
Detroit MBEC	Michigan Minority Business Development Council.	State of Michigan	71 FR 42351, as amended by 71 FR 58788.
Indianapolis MBEC	State of Indiana.	State of Indiana	71 FR 42351.
St. Louis MBEC	St. Louis Minority Business Development Council.	State of Missouri	71 FR 42351.
Dallas MBEC	Grijalva & Allen, P.C.	Dallas/Fort Worth/Arlington MSA	71 FR 42351.
El Paso MBEC	El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.	El Paso MSA	72 FR 71621.
New Mexico MBEC	NEDA Business Consultants, Inc.	State of New Mexico	71 FR 42351.
San Antonio MBEC	University of Texas at San Antonio.	San Antonio MSA	71 FR 42351.
Manhattan MBEC	Interracial Council for Business Opportunity.	New York Counties of: New York, Bronx & Westchester	71 FR 42351.
New Jersey MBEC	Interracial Council for Business Opportunity.	State of New Jersey	71 FR 42351.
Pennsylvania	The Enterprise Center.	State of Pennsylvania	71 FR 42351.
Puerto Rico MBEC	Asociacion Productos de Puerto Rico.	Puerto Rico Islandwide	71 FR 42351.
Queens MBEC	Jamaica Business Resource Center.	New York Counties of: Queens, Nassau & Suffolk	71 FR 42351.
Washington DC Metro MBEC	National Community Reinvestment Coalition, Inc.	Washington, DC/Arlington/Alexandria MSA	71 FR 42351.
Williamsburg MBEC	ODA Community Development Corporation.	New York Counties of: Kings & Richmond	71 FR 42351.
Arizona MBEC	Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation.	State of Arizona	71 FR 42351.
Honolulu MBEC	University of Hawaii.	Honolulu MSA	72 FR 67277.
Inland Empire MBEC	CHARO Community Development Corporation.	California Counties of: Orange, Riverside, Inland Empire, San Diego & San Bernardino	71 FR 42351.
Los Angeles MBEC	University of Southern California.	California Counties of: Los Angeles & Ventura	71 FR 42351.
Nevada MBEC	New Ventures Capital Development Company.	State of Nevada	71 FR 42351.
Northern California MBEC	Asian, Inc.	California Counties of: Santa Clara, Alameda, San Francisco, San Mateo, San Benito, Monterey, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Mendocino, San Joaquin, Sacramento, & Marin	71 FR 42351.
Washington MBEC	Seattle Business Assistance Center.	State of Washington	71 FR 42351.

MBDA takes this action to allow for continued program delivery by the incumbent MBEC operators while MBDA completes its evaluation of the MBEC Program and of the competitive solicitation and award processes for the next funding cycle.

The award extension and additional funding referenced herein will be made at the sole discretion of MBDA and the Department of Commerce using the following evaluation criteria: (1) The MBEC's program performance rating during the current program period; (2) the availability of appropriated funds; and (3) MBDA and Department of Commerce's priorities. MBDA will review each MBEC project's performance rating as evaluated through the standardized performance reports and assessments required under the MBEC Program in determining which projects will be offered an extension. Although MBDA is allowing for an extension of the award period for projects awarded under the MBEC Program, it is possible that not all projects will be offered an extension.

Funding for award extensions is contingent upon the availability of Fiscal Year 2010 appropriations, which have not yet been appropriated for the MBEC program. MBDA therefore issues this notice subject to the appropriations made available under the current continuing resolution, H.R. 2918, Division B, “Continuing Appropriations Resolution, 2010,” Public Law 111-68. In no event will MBDA or the Department of Commerce be responsible for any costs incurred outside of the current award period by the incumbent operators of the MBEC projects affected by this notice if the MBEC Program fails to receive funding or if an award extension is not made because of other MBDA or Department of Commerce priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige MBDA or the Department of Commerce to award any extensions or to obligate any available funds.

Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements

The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements contained in the Federal Register notice of February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696) are applicable to this notice.

Paperwork Reduction Act

This document contains collection of information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of the MBDA Performance Online Database and Standard Forms 424, 424A and 424B has been approved by OMB under the control numbers 0640-0002, 4040-0004, 4040-0006 and 4040-0007, respectively. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject to the PRA unless that collection displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

Executive Order 12866

This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes of E.O. 12866.

Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)

It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.

Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act

Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required by the Administrative Procedure Act for rules concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts. 5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601 et seq., are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis is not required and has not been prepared.

Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512 and Executive Order 11625.

David A. Hinson,

National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.