[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 145 (Friday, July 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 39242-39244]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-19074]
[[Page 39241]]
_______________________________________________________________________
Part IV
Department of Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
Economic Development Administration
_______________________________________________________________________
National Technical Assistance, Research and Evaluation--Additional
Request for Proposals; Notice
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 145 / Friday, July 26, 1996 /
Notices
[[Page 39242]]
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No. 950302065-6203-05]
RIN 0610-ZA03
National Technical Assistance, Research and Evaluation--
Additional Request For Proposals
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA), Department of
Commerce.
ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.
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SUMMARY: A total of $328,500,000 is available to EDA for all of its
programs for FY 1996 (See Notice of Funding Availability for FY 1996 at
61 FR 29526), of which approximately $2,125,000 (including funds to be
transferred to EDA from the Department of Defense's Office of Economic
Adjustment, DOD/OEA) is or will be available for National Technical
Assistance and for Research and Evaluation for specific projects which
will aid in better understanding the causes of and solutions to
economic distress/ underemployment and unemployment throughout the
Nation in the specific priority areas described herein. EDA published a
Request for Proposals in 61 FR 31782, June 20, 1996, hereinafter
referred to as NOFA-RFP #1 requesting proposals for projects to be
funded under these programs. EDA is soliciting proposals for the
specific project described in this Notice (hereinafter referred to as
NOFA-RFP #2) to be funded if acceptable proposals are received. If a
proposal submitted under NOFA-RFP #2 is funded during this fiscal year,
it will be funded from funds remaining after consideration of
applications submitted under NOFA-RFP #1, if any. This NOFA-RFP #2
describes the conditions under which eligible applications for this
program under either National Technical Assistance (13 CFR Part 307,
Subpart C) or Research and Evaluation (13 CFR Part 307, Subpart A) will
be accepted and selected for funding. It is not known at this time
whether National Technical Assistance or Research and Evaluation funds
will be used for the project described herein, because such funding is
contingent upon the availability, if any, of funds under each program,
as well as the primary focus of the project to be funded.
DATES: Full proposals must be received in the Office of Technical
Assistance and Research (see Addresses section below) by close of
business, August 15, 1996, followed by submission of completed
applications, OMB Control Number 0610-0094, from proponents selected by
EDA, at a date to be determined by EDA. EDA will make the award by
September 30, 1996.
ADDRESSES: Send proposals, and later full applications, if invited to
do so, (see Section IV) to either: Lewis R. Podolske, Technical
Assistance Program, Economic Development Administration, Room 7315,
U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230 (National Technical
Assistance); or John J. McNamee, Research and Evaluation Program,
Economic Development Administration, Room 7315, U.S. Department of
Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230 (Research and Evaluation).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John J. McNamee, (202) 482-4085
(Research and Evaluation); Lewis R. Podolske, (202) 482-2127 (National
Technical Assistance); or David McIlwain, (202) 482-5265, (Public
Works, Flood Coordinator).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Introduction
A. Authority
The Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, (Pub. L. 89-
136, 42 U.S.C. 3121-3246h), as amended (PWEDA) at Sec. 3151 authorizes
EDA to: provide technical assistance which would be useful in reducing
or preventing excessive unemployment or underemployment by conducting,
among other things, studies evaluating the needs of, and the
development of potential for economic growth in distressed areas (42
U.S.C. 3151(a)); and to conduct a program of research to assist in the
formulation and implementation of national, state and local programs to
raise income levels and other solutions to the problems of
unemployment, underemployment, underdevelopment and chronic depression
in distressed areas and regions (42 U.S.C. 3151(c)(B)). The Omnibus
Appropriations Act of 1996, Public Law 104-134, makes funds available
for these programs.
B. Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance
11.303 Economic Development-Technical Assistance; 11.312 Economic
Development--Research and Evaluation Program.
C. Program Descriptions
For descriptions of these programs see EDA's final rule at 13 CFR
chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as corrected at 61 FR 15371,
April 8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at 60 FR 49670, September 26,
1995.
D. Additional Information and Requirements
No award of Federal funds will be made to an applicant who has an
outstanding delinquent Federal debt until either: (1) The delinquent
account is paid in full; (2) A negotiated repayment schedule is
established and at least one payment is received; or (3) Other
arrangements satisfactory to DoC are made.
Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may result in
an application not being considered for funding.
Applicants seeking an early start, i.e., to begin a project before
EDA approval, must obtain a letter from EDA allowing such early start.
Such approval may be given with the understanding that an early start
does not constitute project approval. Applicants should be aware 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 or written assurance that may have been
received, there is no obligation on the part of EDA to cover pre-award
costs.
The total dollar amount of the indirect costs proposed in an
application under any EDA program must not exceed either the indirect
cost rate negotiated and approved by a cognizant Federal agency prior
to the proposed effective date of the award, or 100 percent of the
total proposed direct costs dollar amount in the application, whichever
is less.
If an application is selected for funding, EDA has no obligation to
provide any additional future funding in connection with an award.
Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period of
performance is at the sole discretion of EDA.
Unless otherwise noted below, eligibility, program objectives and
descriptions, application procedures, selection procedures, evaluation
criteria and other requirements for all programs are set forth in EDA's
final rule at 13 CFR Chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as
corrected at 61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at
60 FR 49670, September 26, 1995.
II. Areas of Special Emphasis
EDA seeks proposals for the specific project described as follows:
Evaluate and Develop a Model Based on the Midwest Flood of
1993.
EDA invites proposals to study the management and implementation of
disaster assistance, and to develop a model for use by governmental
agencies and others interested in implementing
[[Page 39243]]
future programs for supporting economic recovery of affected disaster
areas. The test subject for this project is EDA's implementation of its
grant program to aid communities that were impacted by the Midwest
Flood of 1993.
Background: Though there are other programs that provide financial
assistance to aid communities affected by disasters, only EDA projects
for the Midwest Floods of 1993 are being analyzed in this project. The
Midwest Flood of 1993 affected nine states: Illinois, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and
Wisconsin. Congress appropriated $200 million to EDA for emergency
expenses resulting from the flood, which EDA used to assist in the
development of post disaster economic recovery strategies and to meet
local infrastructure needs not covered by other Federal programs. This
EDA effort encompassed a broad geographic area impacted by the flood,
and depended upon coordination with nine state governments, with
different capacities of the affected states to deal with the disaster,
and a wide variety of issues to be dealt with. It also involved program
coordination with two EDA regional offices, resulted in the development
of streamlined project processing, and an ``ad hoc'' system of
interagency coordination to avoid funding duplication. In addition, EDA
transferred funds to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for their
participation in the levee repair component of the flood relief
efforts.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will (1) assess whether the
EDA post-disaster assistance was appropriate and gave communities a
better chance to enhance their economic recovery beyond their immediate
emergency needs; (2) evaluate whether such assistance has ramifications
beyond the immediate disaster impact area; (3) assess to what extent
changes in project implementation timeframes were due to changes in
grantee priorities or other external conditions, and investigate
whether a time line for grant implementation should take into account
the nature of the EDA assisted projects and the normal disaster
recovery process; (4) examine the effectiveness of EDA's efforts and
recommend key performance measures which EDA and others can use to
assess implementation of future EDA and other disaster assistance; (5)
compare the EDA/Corps of Engineers levee repair program to those of
other government agencies (e.g., the Department of Agriculture's Soil
Conservation Services) to determine best practices; and (6) highlight
possible areas for improving the post-disaster assistance process.
EDA is interested in measuring overall program performance, by
assistance categories, that is, by the types of grants made. In
undertaking this analysis, the applicant will need to examine selected
grant files, interview EDA staff, interview state and local officials
and others involved in implementing the recovery process in the
affected communities. The resulting data must be appropriately analyzed
and the results, with recommendations as appropriate, presented in a
final report to be available for use by all Federal and state agencies
and other interested parties. All project records are located in or are
accessible through the Denver and Chicago regional offices.
The applicant will also be required to conduct briefings and
training workshops for entities interested in the results of this
project. These briefings and training workshops will be conducted in
Washington, DC, and the six EDA regions, and will total no more than
one such briefing/workshop for each of the seven locations.
Cost: If this project is funded under the National Technical
Assistance program: if properly justified, the Assistant Secretary may
consider a waiver of the required 25 percent local share of the project
cost; if this project is funded under the Research and Evaluation
program: no local match is required.
Timing: This project should be completed and the final report
submitted by September 30, 1997.
Other Models of Performance Measurement and Program Impact
Analyses of Economic Development Programs or Projects.
EDA funds a variety of economic development projects to help
economically distressed communities generate long-term, private sector
jobs and diversify their economies. These include planning, technical
assistance, research, infrastructure, and revolving loan fund projects.
Other Federal and state agencies fund similar economic development
projects. EDA is currently seeking to develop expertise in measuring
the effectiveness of these kinds of economic development efforts. In
addition to the specific proposals requested in NOFA-RFP #s 1 and 2,
should there be funds left in either the Research and Evaluation or
National Technical Assistance Programs after the first round of
projects in NOFA-RFP #s 1 and 2, we would consider additional economic
development program performance measurement and economic impact
analysis proposals that qualified applicants may wish to submit. Should
resources be available, we would select projects on the basis of the
requirements listed in EDA's Regulations at 13 CFR Chapter III, 61 FR
7979, March 1, 1996, as corrected at 61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and
its interim-final rule at 60 FR 49670, September 26, 1995, and on their
ability to increase the level of knowledge of the economic development
profession concerning performance measurement and/or impact analysis.
It must be made clear to all potential proposers, however, that funding
for any additional projects is dependent upon there being uncommitted
resources in either the Research and Evaluation or National Technical
Assistance Programs, and that projects may be funded under either
program depending upon where resources are available. Therefore,
eligibility requirements for an award will be based on the program
under which the potential award will be made.
III. How To Apply
A. Eligible Applicants
National Technical Assistance--See 13 CFR 307.12 in EDA's
final rule at 13 CFR chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as
corrected in 61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at
60 FR 49670, September 26, 1995. Eligible applicants are as follows:
public or private nonprofit organizations including nonprofit national,
state, area, district, or local organizations; accredited educational
institutions or nonprofit entities representing them; public sector
organizations; and Native American organizations, including American
Indian tribes; local governments and state agencies. Technical
Assistance grant funds may not be awarded to private individuals or
for- profit organizations.
Research and Evaluation--See 13 CFR 307.17 in EDA's final
rule at 13 CFR chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as corrected in
61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and its interim- final rule at 60 FR 49670,
September 26, 1995. Eligible applicants are as follows: private
individuals, partnerships, corporations, associations, colleges and
universities, and other suitable organizations with expertise relevant
to economic development research.
B. Proposal Submission Procedures
The proposals submitted by potential applicants may not exceed ten
pages in length and should be accompanied by a proposed budget,
resumes/qualifications of the key staff, and proposed time line.
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IV. Selection Process and Evaluation Criteria
Proposals will receive initial reviews by EDA to assure that they
meet all requirements of this announcement, including eligibility and
relevance to the specified projects as described herein. EDA will carry
out its selection process and evaluation criteria as described at 13
CFR part 304 and Secs. 307.13, 307.14, 307.18, and 307.19 in EDA's
final rule at 13 CFR chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as
corrected in 61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at
60 FR 49670, September 26, 1995.
EDA will select the applicants it deems most qualified and cost
effective and will invite those applicants to submit full applications.
Paperwork Reduction Act
OMB has approved these information collection requirements under
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 under OMB Control Number 0610-AA47.
Dated: July 23, 1996.
Wilbur F. Hawkins,
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 96-19074 Filed 7-25-96; 8:45 am]
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