[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 95 (Wednesday, May 18, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-12090]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: May 18, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
[Docket No. 940529-4129]
Special American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT)
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces availability of funds for the Special
American Business Internship Training Program (SABIT), for training
business executives and scientists (also referred to as ``interns'')
from the Newly Independent States (NIS) of the former Soviet Union
(Independent States). The Department of Commerce, International Trade
Administration (ITA) established the SABIT program in September 1990 to
assist the former Soviet Union's transition to a market economy. Since
that time, SABIT has been matching business executives and scientists
from the Independent States with U.S. firms which sponsor them for
short-term management training programs.
Under this program, qualified U.S. firms will receive funds through
a cooperative agreement with ITA to help defray the cost of hosting
interns. ITA will interview and recommend eligible interns to
participate in SABIT. Interns may be from any of the following
Independent States: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and
Uzbekistan. The U.S. firms will be expected to provide the interns with
a hands-on, non-academic, executive training program designed to
maximize their exposure to management or commercially-oriented
scientific research operations. At the end of the training program,
interns must return to the NIS.
DATES: The closing date for applications is September 15, 1994. An
original and two copies of the application (Standard Form 424 (Rev. 4-
92) and supplemental material) are to be received at the address
designated in the Application Kit no later than 3 p.m., September 15,
1994. Applications will be considered on a ``rolling'' basis as they
are received, subject to the availability of funds. All awards are
expected to be made prior to October 1, 1995.
ADDRESSES: Request for Applications: Competitive Application kits will
be available from ITA starting on the day this notice is published. To
obtain a copy of the Application Kit please telephone (202) 482-0073,
or facsimile (202) 482-2443 (these are not toll free numbers) or send a
written request with two self-addressed mailing labels to Cynthia M.
Anthony, Director, Special American Business Internship Training
Program, room 3413 HCHB, U.S. Department of Commerce, 14th and
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC, 20230. Only one copy of the
Application Kit will be provided to each organization requesting it,
but it may be reproduced by the requester.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Cynthia Anthony, Director, Special
American Business Internship Training Program, International Trade
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, phone - (202) 482-0073,
facsimile - (202) 482-2443. These are not toll free numbers.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SABIT exposes business managers and
scientists from the Independent States to a completely new way of
thinking in which demand, consumer satisfaction, and profits drive
production. Senior-level interns visiting the U.S. for internship
programs with public or private sector companies will be exposed to an
environment which will provide them with practical knowledge for
transforming their countries' enterprises and economies to the free
market. The program provides first-hand, eye-opening experience to
managers and scientists which cannot be duplicated by American managers
travelling to their territories.
Managers: The expanded SABIT program assists economic restructuring
of the Independent States by providing business managers with exposure
to American ways of innovation and management through three to six
month management internships in U.S. firms. ITA reserves the right to
allow an intern to stay for a shorter period if the U.S. company agrees
and the intern demonstrates a need for a shorter internship based on
his or her management responsibilities. Sponsoring U.S. firms will
benefit by establishing relationships with key managers in similar
industries who are uniquely positioned to assist their U.S. sponsors do
business in the Independent States.
Scientists: The goals of the SABIT program for scientists are to
provide opportunities for gifted scientists to apply their skills to
peaceful, commercially-oriented research and development in areas such
as defense conversion, pharmaceutical and other medical research,
energy, and environment, and expose them to the role of scientific
research in a market economy where applicability of the research
relates to the success of the firm. Sponsoring firms in the U.S.
scientific community also will benefit from the exchange of information
and ideas, and different approaches to new technologies. As with the
managers, internships are for three to six months; however, ITA
reserves the right to allow an intern to stay for a shorter period if
the U.S. company agrees and the intern demonstrates a need for a
shorter internship based on his or her management responsibilities.
Funding Availability: Pursuant to section 632(a) of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (the ``Act'') funding for the
program will be provided by the Agency for International Development
(A.I.D). ITA will award financial assistance and administer the program
pursuant to the authority contained in section 635(b) of the Act. The
maximum amount of financial assistance available for the program is
$2,400,000.
Funding Instrument and Project Duration: Federal assistance will be
awarded pursuant to a cooperative agreement between ITA and the
recipient firm. ITA will reimburse companies for the roundtrip air
travel of each intern from Moscow (or other cities in the NIS as
approved in advance by ITA) to the U.S. internship site, upon
submission to ITA of the travel invoice. Travel under the program is
subject to the Fly America Act. Recipient firms provide $30 per day
directly to interns; ITA will reimburse companies for this stipend of
$30 per day per intern for up to six months. Reimbursement of funds for
reimbursement of the stipend will be made upon certification by the
companies that the internship program has been completed, and
submission of a report on the training program. Each award will have a
cap of $7,500 per intern for total cost of airline travel and stipend.
There are no specific matching requirements for the awards. Host firms,
however, are expected to bear the costs beyond those covered by the
award, including housing, insurance, any food and incidentals costs
beyond $30 per day, and any training-related travel within the U.S.
Host firms provide training for the interns.
Federal funding will be provided for this program for not more than
eighteen months from the date of this Notice. U.S. firms wishing to
utilize SABIT in order to be matched with an intern without applying
for financial assistance may do so. Such firms will be responsible for
all costs, including travel expenses, related to sponsoring the intern.
Eligibility: Eligible applicants for SABIT will be any for profit
or non-profit U.S. corporation, association, organization or other
public or private entity.
Evaluation Criteria: Consideration for financial assistance will be
given to those SABIT proposals which:
1. Demonstrate a commitment to the intent and goals of the program
to provide practical, on-the-job, non-academic, non-classroom,
training: In the case of manager interns, an appropriate management
training experience, or, in the case of scientist interns, a practical,
commercially-oriented scientific research training experience.
2. Respond to the priority needs of senior business managers and
scientists respectively in the Independent States, as determined by
ITA. Note that host firms must be solidly committed to interns' return
to their own countries upon completion of the internships.
3. Present a realistic work plan describing in detail the training
program to be provided to the SABIT intern(s). Workplans must include
the following:
(a) Names of division(s) in which the intern(s) will be placed;
(b) The individual(s) in the U.S. company under whose supervision
the intern will train, and the name of the internship coordinator;
(c) The proposed internship training activities. The components of
the training activities must be described in as much detail as
possible, preferably on a week-by-week basis. The description of the
training activities should include an accounting of what the
intern's(s') duties and responsibilities will be during the training;
(d) The location(s) of the internship;
(e) The anticipated housing arrangements to be provided for the
intern(s). Note that housing arrangements should be suitable for mid-
and senior- level professionals, and that each intern must be provided
with a private room;
(f) A brief objectives section indicating why the Applicant wishes
to provide an internship to a manager(s) or scientist(s) from the
former Soviet Union, and how the proposed internship would further the
purpose of the SABIT program as described above; and
(g) A general description of the profile of the manager(s) or
scientist(s) the Applicant would like to host, including: educational
background; occupational/ professional background (including number of
years and areas of experience and expertise); size and nature of the
organization at which the intern(s) is/are presently employed); and
preference for the region of the Independent States where the intern(s)
is/are employed.
4. Are proposed by Applicants that operate in one or more of the
following business sectors: a. Agribusiness (including food processing
and distribution, and agricultural equipment and machinery); b. Defense
conversion; c. Energy; d. Environment, including environmental clean-
up; e. Financial services (including banking and accounting); f.
Housing; g. Medical equipment, supplies, pharmaceuticals, and health
care management; h. Product standards and quality control; i.
Telecommunications; and j. Transportation.
5. Are proposed by Applicants open to sponsoring interns from a
variety of eligible NIS countries. Evaluation criteria 1-5 will be
weighted equally. ITA does not guarantee it will match the Applicant
with the profile provided to SABIT.
D. Additional Information
1. The Applicant Must Provide Evidence of the Following
(a) Adequate financial resources or the ability to obtain such
resources as required during the internship period. As evidence of such
resources, Applicants should submit financial statements audited by an
outside organization. If these are not available, a letter should be
provided from the Applicant's bank attesting to the financial
capability of the firm to undertake the scope of work involved in
training an intern under the SABIT program.
(b) A satisfactory record of performance in grants, contracts and/
or cooperative agreements with the Federal Government, if applicable.
(Applicants who are or have been deficient in current or recent
performance in their grants, contracts, and/or cooperative agreements
with the Federal Government shall be presumed to be unable to meet this
requirement).
(c) Applicants must provide a statement that they will provide
medical insurance coverage for interns during their internships.
Recipients will be required to submit proof of the interns' medical
insurance coverage to the Federal Program Officer, before the interns'
arrivals. The insurance coverage must include an accident and
comprehensive medical insurance program as well as coverage for
accidental death, emergency medical evacuation, and repatriation.
Selection Procedures
Each application will receive an independent, objective review by
one or more three or four-member ITA review panels qualified to
evaluate applications submitted under the program. Applications will be
evaluated on a competitive, ``rolling'' basis as they are received in
accordance with the selection criteria set forth above. Awards will be
made to those applications which successfully meet the selection
criteria, with decisions made by the ITA evaluation panels in the order
the applications are received. If funds are not available for all those
applications which successfully meet the criteria, awards will be made
to the first applications received which successfully do so. ITA review
panel(s) reserve(s) the right to reject any application; to limit the
number of interns per applicant; to waive informalities and minor
irregularities in applications received; and to consider other than
competitive procedures to distribute assistance under this program and
in accordance with the law. ITA review panel(s) reserve(s) the right to
make awards based on U.S. geographic and organization size diversity
among applicants. Recipients may be eligible, pursuant to an amendment
to the award, to host additional interns under the program.
Other Requirements: All applicants are advised of the following:
1. 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, a negotiated repayment schedule is established
and at least one payment is received, or other arrangements
satisfactory to DOC are made.
2. A false statement on the application 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.
3. Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws and
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies and procedures
applicable to financial assistance awards.
4. Participating companies will be required to comply with all
relevant U.S. tax and export regulations. Export controls may relate
not only to licensing of products for export, but also to technical
data transfer.
5. Applications under this program are not subject to Executive
Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
6. If applicants incur any costs prior to an award being made, they
do solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Government.
Notwithstanding any verbal or written assurance that may have been
received, there is no obligation on the part of DOC to cover preaward
costs.
7. Past Performance: Unsatisfactory performance by an applicant
under prior Federal awards may result in an application not being
considered for funding.
8. No Obligation for Future Funding: If an application is selected
for funding, DOC has no obligation to provide any additional future
funding in connection with that award. Renewal of an award to increase
funding or extend the period of performance is at the total discretion
of DOC.
9. 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,'' and the following explanations are hereby
provided:
(a) 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.
(b) 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.
(c) Anti-Lobbying: Funds provided under the SABIT program may not
be used for lobbying activities. 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.
(d) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures: Any applicant that has paid or will
pay for lobbying in connection with this award using any funds must
submit an SF-LLL, ``Disclosure of Lobbying Activities,'' as required
under 15 CFR part 28, appendix B.
10. Lower Tier Certifications: Recipients shall require applicants/
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.
11. Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are not allowed under the SABIT
program.
12. Buy-American-Made Equipment or Products: Applicants are hereby
notified that any equipment or products authorized to be purchased with
funding provided under this program must be American-made to the
maximum extent feasible in accordance with Public Law 103-121, sections
606. (a) and (b).
13. The following statutes apply to this program: Restriction on
Assistance to the Government of Azerbaijan (section 907 of the Freedom
Support Act, Pub. L. 102-511); Chapter 11 of part I of the Foreign
Assistance Act of 1961, as amended, including notably section 498A (b),
regarding ineligibility for assistance; Provisions in annual Foreign
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act,
including the following provisions contained in Public Law 103-87: Use
of American Resources (section 559 of the Foreign Operation, Export
Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1994, Pub. L. 103-
87); Impact on Jobs in the United States (section 547 of the Foreign
Operation, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act,
1994, Pub. L. 103-87); Bumpers Amendment (section 513(b) of the Foreign
Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act,
1994, Pub. L. 103-87); Lautenberg Amendment (section 513(b) of the
Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs
Appropriations Act, 1994, Pub. L. 103-87); and section 660(a) of the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.
Cynthia M. Anthony,
Director, Special American Business Internship Training Program.
[FR Doc. 94-12090 Filed 5-17-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-HE-P
