National Technical Assistance, Research and Evaluation Additional Request For Proposals

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.

[[Page 39244]]

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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