[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 144 (Thursday, July 28, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page ]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-18311]
[Federal Register: July 28, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Minority Business Development Agency
MEGA Center Applications: Chicago, Illinois
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 to operate its Chicago Minority Enterprise
Growth Assistance (MEGA) Center.
The purpose of the MEGA Center is to provide integrated business
development services to minority entrepreneurs in geographic areas
containing high concentrations of minority individuals and businesses.
In addition to basic business assistance services, the center will
provide specialized assistance in the areas of Construction Assistance
and Bonding, Capital Development, Franchise Development, International
Trade and Tourism Development. Each one of these specialized business
areas are considered functional components, and serve as integral parts
of the center. The MEGA Center is, therefore, equipped to meet the more
complex business needs of the minority business community. This, in
turn, is expected to create growing and more profitable ventures
resulting in increased job opportunities.
DATES: The closing date for applications is September 6, 1994.
Applications must be RECEIVED on or before September 6, 1994.
Anticipated processing time of this award is 120 days. A pre-
application conference will be held on August 12, 1994 at 9:30 a.m. in
the Palmer House Hilton, 17 East Monroe Street, Chicago, Illinois.
ADDRESSES: Chicago Regional Office, 55 E. Monroe Street, suite 1406,
Chicago, Illinois 60603.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT: David Vega, Regional Director, (312)
353-0182.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal
funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (15 months)
from January 1, 1995 through March 31, 1996 is $1,343,158 in Federal
funds and a minimum of $237,028 (15%) in non-federal (cost-sharing)
contributions for a total project cost of $1,580,186. Cost-sharing
contributions may be in the form of cash contributions, client fees,
third party in-kind contributions, non-cash applicant contributions, or
combinations thereof. The Chicago MEGA Center will provide service in
the Chicago Metropolitan Area with selected services throughout the
States of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin. The award number of this MEGA
Center will be 05-10-95002-01.
The funding instrument for this project will be a cooperative
agreement. 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: Applicant
capability 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 funding. The applicant with the highest point
score will not necessarily receive the award.
The MEGA Center shall be required to contribute at least 15% of the
total project cost through non-Federal contributions. To assist in this
effort, the MEGA Center may choose to charge client fees for business
services rendered. Fees for assistance rendered under the Basic Service
Component of the MEGA Center range from $10.00 to $60.00 per hour based
on the size of the client's business. Fees for assistance under the
Market-Specialized Service Components of the MEGA Center may be based
on a portion of the current market rate for such services.
If an application is selected for funding, MBDA 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 MBDA.
Executive order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal
Programs,'' is not applicable to this program. 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. 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.
Pre-Award Activities--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.
Recipients and subrecipients are subject to all Federal laws, and
Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures
applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.
Delinquent Federal Debts--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 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 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 cooperative agreement.
Examples of some of the conditions which can cause termination are
failure to meet cost-sharing requirements; unsatisfactory performance
of the MEGA Center 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.
Indirect Costs--The total dollar amount of the indirect costs
proposed in an application under this program must not exceed 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.
Requirement to 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).
11.800 Minority Business Development
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance)
Dated: July 22, 1994.
Donald L. Powers,
Federal Register Liaison Officer.
[FR Doc. 94-18311 Filed 7-27-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P
