Solicitation of Business Development Center Applications for Orlando, Florida

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

Solicitation of Business Development Center Applications for

Orlando, Florida

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.

SUMMARY: In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. 1512,

the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting

competitive applications from organizations to operate the Orlando,

Florida Minority Business Development Centers (MBDC).

The purpose of the MBDC Program is to provide business development

assistance to persons who are members of groups determined by MBDA to

be socially or economically disadvantaged, and to business concerns

owned and controlled by such individuals. To this end, MBDA funds

organizations to identify and coordinate public and private sector

resources on behalf of minority individuals and firms; to offer a full

range of client services to minority entrepreneurs; and to serve as a

conduit of information and assistance regarding minority business. The

award number of the MBDC will be 04-10-97005-01.

DATES: The closing date for applications is February 18, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Completed application packages should be submitted to the

U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, MBDA

Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 5073,

Washington, D.C. 20230, Telephone Number (202) 482-3763).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND AN APPLICATION PACKAGE, CONTACT: Robert

Henderson, Regional Director, at (404) 730-3300.

PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE: A pre-application conference will be held.

For the exact date, time, and location, contact the Atlanta Regional

Office at (404) 730-3300.

Proper Identification Is Required for Entrance Into Any Federal

Building

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In accordance with the Interim Final Policy

published in the Federal Register on May 31, 1996, the cost-share

requirement for the MBDCs listed in this notice has been increased to

40%. The Department of Commerce will fund up to 60% of the total cost

of operating an MBDC on an annual basis. The MBDC operator is required

to contribute at least 40% of the total project cost (the ``cost-share

requirement'').

Cost-sharing contributions may be in the form of cash, client fees,

third party in-kind contributions, non-cash applicant contributions or

combinations thereof. In addition to the traditional sources of an

MBDC's cost-share contribution, the 40% may be contributed by local,

state and private sector organizations. It is anticipated that some

organizations may apply jointly for an award to operate the center. For

administrative purposes, one organization must be designated as the

recipient organization.

Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of

performance for the first budget period (13 months) from May 1, 1997 to

May 31, 1998, is estimated at $281,875. The total Federal amount is

$169,125 and is composed of $165,000 plus the Audit Fee amount of

$4,125. The application must include a minimum cost share of 40%,

$112,750 in non-federal (cost-sharing) contributions for a total

project cost of $281,875.

The funding instrument for this project will be a cooperative

agreement. If the recommended applicant is the current incumbent

organization, the award will be for 12 months. For those applicants who

are not incumbent organizations or who are incumbents that have

experienced closure due to a break in service, a 30-day start-up period

will be added to their first budget period, making it a 13-month award.

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: the

knowledge, background and/or capabilities of the firm and its staff 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). In accordance

with Interim Final Policy published in the Federal Register on May 31,

1996, the scoring system will be revised to add ten (10) bonus points

to the application of community-based organizations. Each qualifying

application will receive the full ten points. Community-based applicant

organizations are those organizations whose headquarters and/or

principal place of business within the last five years have been

located within the geographic service area designated in the

solicitation for the award. Where an applicant organization has been in

existence for fewer than five years or has been present in the

geographic service area for fewer than five years, the individual years

of experience of the applicant organization's principals may be applied

toward the requirement of five years of organization experience. The

individual years of experience must have been acquired in the

geographic service area which is the subject of the solicitation. 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

[[Page 66262]]

program. Negative audit findings and recommendations and unsatisfactory

performance under prior Federal awards may result in an application not

being considered for award. The applicant with the highest point score

will not necessarily receive the award. Periodic reviews culminating in

year-to-date evaluations will be conducted to determine if funding for

the project should continue. Continued funding will be at the total

discretion of MBDA based on such factors as the MBDC's performance, the

availability of funds and Agency priorities.

The MBDC shall be required to contribute at least 40% of the total

project cost through non-federal contributions. To assist in this

effort, the MBDC may charge client fees for services rendered. Fees may

range from $10 to $60 per hour based on the gross receipts of the

client's business.

Anticipated processing time of this award is 120 days. Executive

order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs,'' is not

applicable to this program. Federal funds for this project include

audit funds for non-CPA recipients. In event that a CPA firm wins the

competition, the funds allocated for audits are not applicable.

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.

Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required

to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure

to comply with a collection of information, subject to the requirements

of the PRA, unless that collection of information displays a currently

valid OMB Control Number. 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.

Awards under this program shall be subject to all Federal laws, and

Federal and Departmental regulations, policies, and procedures

applicable to Federal financial assistance awards.

Pre-Award Costs

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.

Outstanding Account Receivable

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, 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 grant/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 grant/cooperative agreement. Examples of

some of the conditions which can cause termination are failure to meet

cost-sharing requirements; unsatisfactory performance of the MBDC 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

26.105) 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 26.605) 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, Sec. 28.105) 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.

Buy American-made Equipment or Products

Applicants are hereby notified that they are encouraged, to the

extent feasible, to purchase American-made equipment and products with

funding provided under this program.

11.800 Minority Business Development Center (Catalog of Federal

Domestic Assistance)

[[Page 66263]]

Dated: December 11, 1996.

Frances B. Douglas,

Alternate Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business

Development Agency.

[FR Doc. 96-31946 Filed 12-16-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-21-P