# National Technical Assistance, Research and EvaluationRequest for Proposals

> Briefs, arguments, decisions, and more.

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A96-15531

## Record

- **Collection:** Federal Register
- **Document type:** Notice
- **Published:** June 20, 1996
- **Citation:** 61 FR 31782

## Text

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. Additional
funding may or may not be available. EDA issues this Notice describing
the conditions under which eligible applications for these National
Technical Assistance under 13 CFR Part 307, Subpart C, and Research and
Evaluation under 13 CFR Part 307, Subpart D, projects will be accepted
and selected for funding. EDA is soliciting proposals for the specific
projects described herein which will be funded if acceptable proposals
are received. Remaining funding, if any, may be used to fund additional
projects.

DATES: Prospective applicants are advised that EDA will conduct a pre-
proposal conference on June 27, 1996, at 2:00 p.m., in the Department
of Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building, 14th & Constitution Avenue,
N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230, Room 7419, at which time questions on the
National Technical Assistance and Research and Evaluation projects can
be answered. Please provide written questions (See Addresses section
below) by June 24, 1996. Background information packets relevant to
each of the projects will be made available.
Initial proposals for funding under this program will be accepted
through July 22, 1996. Initial proposals received after that time will
not be considered for funding.
By July 22, 1996, EDA will advise successful proponents to submit
full applications, (containing complete proposals as part of the
application) OMB Control Number 0610-0094. Completed applications must
be submitted to EDA by August 15, 1996. EDA will make these awards no
later than September 30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send initial proposals and full applications, as applicable,
to either: Lewis R. Podolske, Acting Director, Technical Assistance
Program, Economic Development Administration, Room 7315, U.S.
Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 200230 (National Technical
Assistance); or John J. McNamee, Acting Director, 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:
Lewis R. Podolske, (202) 482-2127 (National Technical Assistance); or
John J. McNamee, (202) 482-4085 (Research and Evaluation).

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 as follows: 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 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, which
ever is less.
If an application is selected for funding, EDA has no obligation to
provided 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 projects described as follows:

A. National Technical Assistance Program

State Technology Planning.

[[Page 31783]]

EDA invites technical assistance proposals pertaining to innovative
and useful science and technology planning programs by states to assist
distressed communities.
Background: EDA awards planning grants under section 302(a) of
PWEDA, (42 U.S.C. 3151a(a)) to strengthen the economic development
planning capability of states, cities and substate entities to ensure a
more productive use of resources in reducing the effect of economic
problems, particularly those resulting in high unemployment and low
incomes. EDA has awarded approximately 15 state grants since 1990 that
relate to state technology planning as a tool for economic development.
The scopes of work of these grants, the project files and final reports
are available at the six EDA regional offices. Other Federal programs
also provide assistance to states to prepare statewide technology
plans. Among these programs are the U.S. Department of Commerce (DoC)
National Institute of Standards and Technology's State Technology
Extension Program (STEP), and the National Science Foundation's
Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). In
addition, other technology plans have been developed by national
organizations, by states, or as regional or local efforts.
Scope of Work: Under this grant award the recipient is expected to
canvas the universe of planning efforts undertaken by states to use
science and technology to assist distressed communities to enhance
their economic development capabilities. As part of the project, the
recipient must review EDA and other Federal and state efforts to
promote the establishment of science and technology plans that support
regional, state, or substate economic development. The task will
include the review of project files, final reports, and plans, and
interviews with staff by means of site visits and telephone
conversations.
Science and technology plans compiled during the canvass may
encompass coordination of data bases, education plans related to
technology, manufacturing extension services, telecommunications
improvement and coordination, electronic commerce, business development
using cyberspace, or other objectives. The recipient of this award is
expected to compare and evaluate these science and technology plans for
their impact on distressed areas, the best practices employed in
targeting distressed areas, their innovative approach, their successful
implementation, their economic development impact, and their
replicability in other states.
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 states and other interested parties.
The applicant will also be required to conduct briefings and
training workshops for organizations interested in using the approaches
compiled and examined under this project. These briefings and training
workshops will be conducted in Washington, D.C., and the six EDA
regional offices and will total no more than one such briefing/workshop
for each of the seven locations.
Cost: If properly justified, the Assistant Secretary may consider a
waiver of the required 25 percent local share of the total project
cost.
Timing: The project should be completed and the final report
submitted by March 31, 1997.
Impact of Incubator Investments.
EDA invites technical assistance proposals to develop criteria to
evaluate the impact of the incubator on the community.
Background: In North America there are about 540 business
incubation programs serving more than 8,000 in-house clients and
affiliates. Over 5,000 companies have ``graduated'' from these
incubation programs. Fifty-three percent of the incubators are
considered urban, 28 percent rural, and 19 percent suburban. The basic
types of incubators are: mixed use 47 percent, technology 20 percent,
light manufacturing 13 percent, service 9 percent and micro enterprise/
empowerment 11 percent.
Local, state and Federal Government agencies, economic development
agencies, colleges and universities, for-profit firms, nonprofit
organizations such as neighborhood revitalization organizations, as
well as combinations of all these groups have provided financial
assistance to construct and operate business incubation programs. Each
sponsor may have its own goals for participation in the incubation
programs. These goals may include diversification of the economy,
development or expansion of small business sector of the local economy,
increased employment and income in general and sometimes in specific
neighborhoods, increased property usage and values, business retention,
maintenance of population in particular areas, transfer of technology
from universities and research laboratories, and development of a
targeted technology infrastructure.
Many incubation programs fail to keep records of incubator outcomes
related to firm growth, employment, revenues, achievements of goals,
and other community benefits. This may be due to failure to develop
evaluation criteria, or the lack of resources to measure performance
and determine outcomes. This project may require the development of
performance measures and outcomes in such instances to be used by
economic development organizations.
Most performance outcome information that will be developed or
gathered will provide only a ``score'' of how well the characteristic
being measured is doing. Outcome indicators, in general, will not tell
the extent to which the program has actually caused the observed
outcomes. Only a substantive in-depth program evaluation can determine
the extent to which program activity caused the measured results--the
impact of the program on the local economy.
An incubator's impact on a local community and economy comes from
its ability to create a dynamic environment for the creation of new
enterprises, and hence, new work. These goals are rarely realized over
the time-span a firm is in an incubator, but extend into the long-term
because of the nature of the business development cycle. Therefore, the
goal of an external evaluation should be to determine progress toward
long-term developmental goals. Proposals sought hereby will determine
the appropriate evaluation methodology for the impact of various kinds
of incubation programs on their local economies.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will: (1) develop
performance measures for different types of incubator programs if not
already available; (2) test the measures against a representative
sample of 50 to 100 diverse incubator programs; (3) determine and
analyze in depth the impact of the incubator investments on the local
economy; (4) prepare a final report on the methodology developed and
the analysis performed, as well as the long-term policy implications of
different kinds of incubation programs; and (5) conduct briefings and
training workshops in Washington, D.C., and EDA's six Regional Offices
on the methodology developed, the analysis performed and the policy
implications and will total no more than one such briefing/workshop for
each of the seven locations.
Cost: If properly justified, the Assistant Secretary may consider a
waiver of the required 25 percent local share of the total project
cost.

[[Page 31784]]

Timing: The project should be completed and the final report
submitted by June 30, 1997.

B. Research and Evaluation Program

Performance Measure Testing and Impact of Public
Infrastructure Investments.
EDA invites a research and evaluation proposal pertaining to
performance measurement testing and the impact of public infrastructure
investments. The primary purpose of this project is to develop a
methodology that local, state and other Federal agencies can adapt and
replicate to analyze the impacts that result from their public
infrastructure and other investments. The test subjects for this
project will be EDA grant projects. There are dual components. Each
component has its own scope of work and deadline, although the two
components are inherently related. The two components are:
(I) Performance Measure Testing--to gather and analyze data to test
newly-developed program core performance measures; and (II) Impact of
Public Infrastructure Investment--to develop and test a methodology for
determining the impacts (economic benefits) resulting from public
infrastructure investments on local economies. While the ultimate
objective is a workable methodology, an essential prerequisite is the
determination of the effectiveness of performance measures.
I. Performance Measure Testing--Background: EDA has recently
established a core set of performance measures for each of its grant
program areas. These measures can be tested by reviewing two groups of
projects that have been approved in previous years to determine the
extent to which these specific performance measures are valid or need
refining. The project will involve a review of project files,
interviews with EDA staff and grantees, site visits, surveys (written
or phone), etc. The resulting data must be appropriately analyzed and
the results presented in a separate final report for each group of
projects.
A. The Performance Measures. The following core measures are to be
tested under this project:
Performance and outcomes at project completion--
Construction Projects.
1. Construction schedule met as to start and finish dates.
2. Private sector dollars invested in the EDA Project (proposed, at
time of approval).
3. Private sector dollars invested in the EDA project (actual, at
time of completion).
4. Other dollars (Federal, state and local) invested in the EDA
Project.
5. Other dollars invested (nonfederal, local and private) directly
related to, but not part of the EDA Project.
6. Local capacity improved Diversification of local economy.
7. Local capacity improved: Intended beneficiary(ies) actually
established in the community.
Performance and outcomes at project completion--Capacity-
Building Projects.
1. For Research/Evaluation and Technical Assistance projects:
Project start and finish dates met.
2. For Planning projects: Annual update of Overall Economic
Development Program (OEDP) completed.
3. For all capacity-building projects, grantee comment: with 1 to
10 (10=best) numerical response for following questions:
a. Quality of local OEDP/Adjustment Assistance (Title IX) Strategy.
b. Extent of participation by government, business and community
leaders, i.e., building of community partnerships.
c. Extent projects implemented are based on OEDP/Title IX Strategy.
d. Quality of evaluation or feasibility study.
e. Impact of feasibility study on project planning.
Performance and outcomes at project completion--Revolving
Loan Fund (RLF) Projects.
1. Implementation schedule for disbursement of RLF dollars met.
2. Jobs created and retained (actual) through RLF loans.
3. Number of businesses assisted by the RLF.
4. Non-EDA dollars invested.
a. Private sector dollars invested.
b. Other dollars invested.
5. RLF capital base (grant+local share+net income generated--write-
offs).
Project outcomes at 2 and 4 years after completion--
Construction Projects.
1. Jobs created and retained, as estimated on application.
2. Jobs created and retained--actual.
3. Private sector dollars invested in the EDA project--actual.
4. Other dollars (Federal, state and local) invested in the EDA
project--actual.
5. Other dollars invested (nonfederal, local and private) directly
related to, but not part of the EDA project.
6. Other dollars invested indirectly related to the EDA project.
7. Increase in local tax base (percentage) (actual or based on
recognized multiplier).
Project outcomes at 2 and 4 years after completion--Capacity-
Building Projects.
For all capacity-building projects, grantee comment: with 1 to 10
(10-best) numerical response for following questions:
1. Quality of local OEDP/Title IX Strategy.
2. Extent of participation by government, business and community
leaders, i.e., building of community partnerships.
3. Extent projects implemented are based on OEDP/Title IX Strategy.
4. Quality of evaluation or feasibility study.
5. Impact of feasibility study on project planning.
Project outcomes at 2 and 4 years after completion--RLF
Projects.
1. Jobs created and retained (actual) through RLF loans.
2. Number of businesses assisted by the RLF.
3. Private sector dollars invested.
4. Other dollars invested.
5. RLF capital base (grants+local share+net income generated--
write-offs).
B. The Projects. The core measures are to be tested on the
following two groups of projects:
1. Fiscal Year (FY) completed Public Works projects.
Under its Public Works program, EDA makes infrastructure grants to
help distressed communities generate long-term, private sector jobs and
diversity their economies. Among the types of projects funded are water
and sewer facilities, access roads to industrial sites, and business
incubator buildings. The universe of projects for the analysis sought
is approximately 175 EDA public works grants for which final
construction activities and project closeout were completed between
October 1, 1989, and September 30, 1990. The individual projects are
located throughout the U.S. The project files are retained in the six
EDA regional offices.
2. Defense Adjustment Assistance Projects.
Under this program EDA makes grants to help communities design and
implement strategies for adjustment to changes in their economic
situation that cause or threaten to cause serious structural damage to
their economic base due to defense downsizing or base closures. Grants
under this program include infrastructure improvements similar to those
in 1 above, strategically-targeted business development and financial
assistance, assistance for developing adjustment strategies (planning),
or technical assistance.

[[Page 31785]]

This group of projects includes grants approved in FY 1993 through
FY 1995 as follows:

FY 1993 36 projects for $48 million
FY 1994 81 projects for $162 million
FY 1995 73 projects for $135 million

Many of these grants are currently active, that is, the grant-
funded project is not yet completed. The projects are located
throughout the U.S. The project files are retained in the six EDA
regional offices.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will determine, on both a
project-by-project basis and in the aggregate, the extent to which the
two groups of projects met the core performance measurement standards
that EDA has established, how effective the standards measure the
program's performance, and what adjustments to the core measures may be
necessary based on this analysis.
In separate final reports on the public works and defense
adjustment assistance project components, the applicant must fully
document how the tests were conducted and provide the basis for any
changes recommended.
The applicant will also be required to conduct briefings and
training workshops for organizations interested in learning about the
results of the performance measurement project. These workshops will be
conducted in Washington, and in EDA's six regional offices and will
total no more than one such briefing/workshop for each of the seven
locations.
Cost: No local share match is required for this project. Half of
the funding for the testing of performance measures on the defense
program will be provided by the Office of Economic Adjustment of the
Department of Defense.
Timing: This component of the project should be completed and the
final reports submitted by February 28, 1997.
II. Impact of Public Infrastructure Investments--Backgrounds: The
Federal Government and states administer several grant programs that
provide financial assistance to communities for constructing or
expanding public infrastructure facilities, although only EDA projects
and performance measures are being analyzed in this project. These
grant programs may strive toward various social goals, such as ensuring
the availability of safe drinking water by replacing water lines,
expanding communications links by building or maintaining public
highways, or, in the case of the EDA public works program, reducing
economic distress by fostering the creation of new employment
opportunities. Some of these programs have begun to measure their own
performances. EDA has developed and will apply a core set of
performance measures to its programs on a prospective basis beginning
October 1, 1996. These measures are expected to produce quantifiable
outcomes of EDA's programs.
The component of this two-part project described in the previous
section will test EDA's core performance measures to gain knowledge for
the economic development community of how performance measures can be
applied, tested, analyzed and adjusted. Most outcomes measured by the
core performance measures, however, will provide only a ``score'' of
how well the particular characteristics being measured are doing. The
outcome indicators will not generally tell the extent to which the
program has actually caused the observed outcomes. Only a substantive
in-depth program evaluation can reasonably uncover the link between
performance indicators and program activities. There is, moreover, no
widely accepted methodology for determining the economic and social
benefits--the economic impacts on the local community--that actually
result from public works infrastructure investments.
Previous evaluations of EDA's public works program have suggested
that criteria such as project utilization, job creation/retention
efficiency, job quality, shift-share analysis, attribution (whether
EDA's contribution was necessary for the implementation of the
project), related private sector investments, increases in the tax
revenues, and other outcomes could be used to measure the economic
impact of public works projects on the local economy. The second
component of this project will develop an appropriate methodology for
evaluating the economic impacts of EDA's infrastructure investments.
Much of the economic impacts from public infrastructure investments
are believed to occur a considerable time after the completion of
project construction. To maximize the probability that these impacts
will have been realized, EDA proposes that approximately 175 EDA public
works grants, for which final construction activities and project
closeout were completed between October 1, 1989 and September 30, 1990,
serve as the universe for this economic impact analysis. This is the
same group of projects referred to in I.B.1. above.
In the development of the methodology, EDA suggests that the
analysis of impacts be targeted and focused to realistic boundaries
within which economic impacts on a local economy can reasonable be
attributed to the EDA infrastructure investment. In many instances, the
area of measurable and reasonably attributable impacts may be smaller
than traditional areas of socioeconomic measurement such as city or
county or state boundaries. Boundaries targeted for this analysis may
have to be focused down to the level of census tracts. In the process
of conducting the analysis, developing the methodology and subsequently
testing it upon the specified universe of infrastructure projects,
therefore, EDA expects the recipient to limit to the greater extent
possible any broad-scale comparison of local impacts to unreasonably
large and/or national boundaries.
Communities that received grants under the public works program are
dispersed across the Nation. The project files for these grants are
located in EDA's six regional offices.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will develop a methodology
for determining and measuring the economic impacts of specific public
infrastructure investments. The methodology will be tested on the
previously-mentioned 175 EDA public works grants completed in FY 1990.
EDA expects the methodology to reflect the core measures that will be
applied to EDA's programs, as well as other relevant measures suggested
by the analysis of the public works projects.
The final report must fully document the methodology used for the
project as well as revisions suggested by testing the methodology on
the 175 public works projects. Actual impacts identified for each of
the 175 public works projects must also be documented in the final
report.
The applicant will also be required to conduct briefings and
training workshops for organizations interested in using the
methodology developed under this project. These briefings and training
workshops will be conducted in Washington, D.C., and the six EDA
regional offices and will total no more than one such briefing/workshop
for each of the seven locations.
Cost: No local match is required for this project.
Timing: This second component of the project should be completed
and the final report submitted by June 30, 1997.
Performance Measurement Bibliography.
EDA invites research proposals to develop an annotated bibliography
of current literature on economic development performance measurement
and economic impact studies.

[[Page 31786]]

Background: With the current emphasis on improved program
performance measured by results, service quality, and customer
satisfaction, economic development funders at the Federal, state and
local level are faced with the challenge of developing measures and
methods for determining how well their programs perform. EDA has
recently established a program performance and evaluation system to
measure the output and outcomes of its program funding. This system
builds on existing efforts at measuring the performance of economic
development programs at the Federal and state levels.
The bibliography should chronicle the universal principles and
standards for measuring the outcomes and impacts of economic
development investments, with reference to current and recent
benchmarking, performance measurement and economic impact studies.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will (1) survey current and
recent literature on economic development performance measurement and
impact studies; (2) organize the literature in appropriate groupings;
(3) in a final report, provide brief comments on the content of each
article or book; (4) assemble a prototype public library containing
copy of each article or book included in the annotated bibliography,
including a computer disk version, where available, for inclusion in a
future on-line public library; and (5) conduct a briefing on the
findings in the Washington, D.C., office of EDA.
Cost: No local match is required for this project.
Timing: This project should be completed and the final report
submitted by December 31, 1996.
EDA/DOD-OEA/Federal Government Role in Cluster-Based
Economic Development.
EDA invites research and evaluation proposals to determine the role
EDA, the Department of Defense's Office of Economic Adjustment (DOD/
OEA) or other Federal agencies might play in promoting cluster
development as an economic development tool, particularly as it relates
to defense conversion.
Background: Industry or business clusters are important economic
development tools to the extent that they facilitate regional
competitive advantages in the development and production of high-value,
large-market goods or services. Some proponents suggest that a
successful cluster development requires the presence of three specific
elements: (1) Collaborative and competitive networks that form the
supporting infrastructure for technology-based businesses; (2) a
strong, basic manufacturing base characterized by multiple competing
firms rather than several large, vertically integrated firms; and (3) a
strong commitment among business and government leaders to reinforcing
the region's viability as a regional hub for high value manufacturing.
EDA has promoted cluster development as an economic development
tool in communities whose economies have been adversely affected by
defense expenditures reductions. In the case of flat panel display
development in Florida and efficient pollution-free vehicle development
in California, EDA provided funding to assist already-established,
cluster-oriented organizations construct or equip test facilities for
products produced by the members of the organizations. California
organizations, including, but not limited to the Goldstrike Partnership
and Regional Technology Alliance, Bay Area Economic Forum, Joint
Venture Silicon Valley, and the High Technology Council of Los Angeles,
received EDA funding for the development of a collaborative process
involving the members of certain industries and stakeholders. EDA also
awarded DRI/McGraw-Hill a grant to define and identify the industry
clusters that drive the U.S. economy; explore the emerging practices of
states and regions in fostering cluster development; and convene the
first national conference on cluster-driven regional economic
development.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will (1) analyze the role
of cluster development in economic development in general and in
defense adjustment, in particular; (2) document the degree to which the
three elements thought to be necessary for cluster development were
present in the EDA-supported cluster development projects and whether
the EDA assistance facilitated or followed the development of those
elements; (3) determine if all three elements must be present for the
formation of a successful technology-based business or industry
cluster; (4) determine if, how, and at what cost Federal support can
influence the development of those elements; (5) estimate the time-
frame required for the development of those elements; (6) suggest the
appropriate role, if any, the Federal Government should play in
promoting cluster development. The applicant will be required to submit
a final report documenting its findings from this project and 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, D.C., and the six EDA regional offices and
will total no more than one such briefing/workshop for each of the
seven locations.
In undertaking this analysis, the applicant will review the cluster
projects that EDA has funded to identify the various stages of
organization and project development of the cluster process in
different communities. This will require examining EDA grant files and
contacting various people who were involved in developing the cluster-
oriented organizations and projects. Files for these projects are
located in EDA's Seattle, Atlanta and Austin regional offices.
Costs: No local match is required for this project. Half of the
funding for this project will be provided by the Office of Economic
Adjustment (OEA) of the Department of Defense.
Timing: The project should be completed and final report submitted
by June 20, 1997.
Leveraging Capital for Defense Adjustment Infrastructure
Assistance.
EDA invites research proposals to examine the potential for new and
innovative techniques for leveraging significant capital for increased
defense adjustment infrastructure assistance, including construction
related to military base reuse.
Background: The capital required for most defense adjustment
infrastructure (re)development exceeds the ability of many communities
to raise. Public funding for defense adjustment appropriation is modest
compared with the current need for infrastructure assistance. This
project would evaluate and recommend, if appropriate, alternative
approaches to financing defense adjustment infrastructure projects,
such as partially securing large bond issues, or providing for the
first several years of payment on large bond issues until new tenants,
etc., can pick up the costs. It would also evaluate what role other
Federal financing mechanisms might play. The limitations and
feasibility of such alternatives are not known, but could possibly
serve to greatly extend the impact of limited defense program public
works funds.
Scope of Work: The successful applicant will (1) bring together a
panel of public and private sector financial experts to explore the
full range of realistic, innovative financing alternatives, and (2)
prepare a comprehensive report and conduct briefings and training for
interested parties, which document the alternatives and
recommendations.

[[Page 31787]]

These briefings and training workshops will be conducted in Washington,
D.C., and the six EDA regional offices and will total no more than one
such briefing/workshop for each of the seven locations.
Cost: No local match is required for this project. Half of the
funding for this report will be provided by DOD/OEA.
Timing: This project should be completed and the final report
submitted by January 31, 1997.

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 initial 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.

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. The Office of
Economic Adjustment of the Department of Defense will participate in
evaluating proposals submitted for the Cluster Development and
Leveraging Capital for Defense Adjustment Infrastructure Assistance
projects described above. If a proposal is selected, EDA will provide
proponent with an Application Form, and 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.
From the full proposals and application, EDA will select the
applicants it deems most qualified and cost effective. EDA anticipates
that more full proposals and applications will be invited than will
eventually be funded.
All project records are located in or are accessible through the
six EDA regional offices. Unless otherwise specified in other sections
of this RFP, EDA staff support will be limited to providing access to
the records.

Paperwork Reduction Act

OMB has approved these information collection requirements under
the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 under OMB Control Number 0610-AA47.

Dated: June 13, 1996.
Phillip A. Singerman,
Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 96-15531 Filed 6-17-96; 10:12 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-M

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/documents/fr%3A96-15531. Public record. Not legal advice.