Cooperative Agreement Program for American Business Centers in Russia and the New Independent States

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[Docket No. 980716181-8181-01]

Cooperative Agreement Program for American Business Centers in

Russia and the New Independent States

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The International Trade Administration (ITA) is soliciting

competitive applications to establish and operate an American Business

Center (ABC) in the city of Khabarovsk, Russia for a two (2) year

multi-year award period. The ABC will encourage the export of U.S.

goods and services and stimulate trade and investment in the

Khabarovsk, Russia region. The award resulting from this announcement

is contingent upon the availability of appropriated funds.

The ABC will provide, on a user fee basis, a broad range of

business development and facilitation services to United States

companies in the Khabarovsk, Russia region. Services provided by the

ABC will be designed to encourage more U.S. firms to explore

opportunities for trade and investment in the Khabarovsk, Russia region

and to help them conduct business there more effectively. The core

services to be provided by the ABC include: international telephone,

fax, and data transmission; temporary office space; space for meetings,

small seminars, and small product exhibitions or demonstrations;

secretarial support (e.g. word processing, typing, message taking);

translator/interpreters; photocopying; market research; counseling on

local business conditions; and arranging appointments with Russian

business contacts. The Center also will work closely with Russian

businesses to help them become more attractive trading partners;

identify and report obstacles to trade and investment; and serve as a

link between financial institutions, U.S. companies, and Russian

enterprises.

In addition to these core services, the ABC will support U.S.

Government activities under the Regional Investment Initiative (RII).

This will include providing, at cost, support for the activities of the

RII coordinator. Such support may include office space, computers,

telecommunications equipment and secretarial and translation services.

DATES: ITA will accept only those applications which are received at

the U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 1235, HCHB, no later than 3:00 pm

E.S.T. August 21, 1998. Late applications will not be accepted and will

not be considered. On July 27, 1998 competitive application kits will

be available from the Department of Commerce.

ADDRESSES: To obtain a copy of the application kit, please send a

written request with a self-addressed mail label to: Russia-NIS Program

Office, U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, Room 1235, HCHB, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Washington, D.C. 20230. Requests for

application kits also may be faxed to 202-482-2456. Only one

application kit will be provided to each organization requesting it,

but the kit may be reproduced by the requester. All forms necessary to

submit an application will be included in the application kit The kit

will include Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance;

424A, Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs, and 424B,

Assurances--Non-Construction Programs, Rev 4-88). Completed

applications should be returned to the same address. Applicants must

submit a signed original and two copies of the application and

supporting materials. It is anticipated that it will take ten weeks

after the deadline for receipt of applications to process applications

and make awards.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Applicants wishing further information

should contact Douglas Barry, Russia-NIS Program Office, U.S. & Foreign

Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, room 1235, HCHB,

Washington, D.C. 20230, telephone: (202) 482-2902, or Fax: (202) 482-

2456.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Program Authority

The American Business Center program is authorized by Title III of

the ``Freedom for Russia and Emerging Eurasian Democracies and Open

Markets Support Act of 1992'' or the ``FREEDOM Support Act'', Pub. L.

102-511. Funding for the program is provided by the Agency for

International Development under Section 632(a) of the Foreign

Assistance Act of 1961, as amended.

Eligible Applicants

United States for-profit firms, non-profit organizations, non-

Federal government agencies, industry and trade associations, and

educational institutions are eligible to apply. An enterprise which

includes or intends to include participation of host country citizens

or entities will be considered an eligible applicant so long as the

applicant is and will remain, throughout the award period, controlled

and managed by citizens and/or entities of the United States.

Funding Guidelines

Since it is anticipated that ITA will be involved in the

implementation of the project for which an award is made, the funding

instrument for the program will be a cooperative agreement. Examples of

ITA involvement include but are not limited to the following:

supplemental marketing to promote the ABC, guidance on eligibility of

ABC clients, and coordination with other U.S. government assistance

programs.

ITA anticipates $320,000 will be available for the first year of

funding for one (1) multi-year cooperative agreement award during FY

1999. Applicants will be requested to submit a work-plan and budget

which cover a one (1) year period for a total amount of not more than

$320,000 in Federal funds. Applicants must supply at least twenty-

percent (20%) of total project costs, with the Federal portion of total

project costs to be no more than eighty-percent (80%). A minimum of one

half (\1/2\) of the support supplied by the applicant must be in the

form of cash.

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The remaining portion of the applicant's support may consist of cash or

in-kind contributions (goods and services contributed by a third

party). Applicants will be requested to submit a work-plan and budget

for a second year of operation based on the level of funding for the

first year with the understanding that funding levels may or may not be

the same as the first year.

Applicant receipt of future funding is contingent upon the

availability of appropriated funds, and satisfactory performance, and

will be at the sole discretion of ITA. Publication of this notice does

not constitute an obligation by the Department of Commerce to enter

into a cooperative agreement with any responding applicant.

Evaluation Criteria

Consideration for financial assistance under the program will be

based on the following evaluation criteria:

(1) Quality of Work Plan: core commercial activities, marketing

strategy, management/staffing, cooperation with ITA and outreach

programs to NIS firms;

(2) Qualifications of Applicant: financial history, personnel's

experience in region and in delivering commercial products/services;

(3) Market Knowledge of Locations: applicant's demonstrated

familiarity with the market conditions in the proposed city and/or

region;

(4) Project Timetable: ability of applicant to complete major

stages in the scope of work quickly, particularly bringing an ABC into

the fully-operational stage;

(5) U.S. Small Business Utility: accessibility of services to small

firms and reasonableness of fees;

(6) Cost-Effectiveness: reasonableness, allowability and

allocability of costs.

For purpose of evaluation of the applications, the above criteria

will be weighted as follows: criterion (1) will be worth a maximum of

30 (thirty) percent; criterion (2) will be worth a maximum of 30

(thirty) percent; criterion (3) will be worth a maximum of 20 (twenty)

percent; criterion (4) will be worth a maximum of 10 (ten) percent;

criterion (5) and (6) will be worth a maximum of 5 (five) percent each.

Selection Procedure

Each application will be evaluated by a panel of at least three

independent reviewers qualified to evaluate applications submitted

under the program. Applications will be evaluated on a competitive

basis in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth above. The

award will be based on the highest total accumulated score.

Notifications

All applicants are advised of the following:

(1) Unsatisfactory performance under prior Federal awards may

result in an application not being considered for funding.

(2) If applicants incur any cost prior to an award being made, they

do so solely at their own risk of not being reimbursed by the Federal

Government. Notwithstanding any verbal assurance that they may receive,

there is no obligation on the part of the Department of Commerce to

cover pre-award costs.

(3) If an application is selected for funding, the Department of

Commerce has no obligation to provide any additional future funding in

connection with the award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or

extend the period of performance is at the total discretion of the

Department of Commerce.

(4) No award of Federal funds shall be made to an applicant who has

an outstanding debt until either:

a. The delinquent account is paid in full;

b. A negotiated repayment schedule is established and at least one

payment is received; or

c. Other arrangements satisfactory to the Department of Commerce

are made.

(5) All primary applicants must submit a completed Form CD-511,

``Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension and other

Responsibility Matters; Drug-Free Workplace Requirements and

Lobbying''. 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. Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR part 26,

section 605) are subject to 15 CFR part 26, subpart F ``Government wide

Requirement for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related section

of the certification form prescribed above applies. Persons (as defined

at 15 CFR part 28, section 105) are subject to the lobbying provisions

of 31 U.S.C. 1352, ``Limitation on the 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 that

$150,000 or the single family maximum mortgage limit for affected

programs, whichever is greater''. 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.

(6) Recipients shall require applicants/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 Transaction 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

submitted by any tier recipient or sub-recipient should be submitted to

the Department of Commerce in accordance with instructions contained in

the award document.

(7) A false statement on an application 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.

(8) All recipients and sub-recipients are subject to all applicable

Federal laws and Federal Department of Commerce policies, regulations,

and procedures applicable to Federal assistance awards. For-profit

organizations shall be subject to OMB Circular A-110.

(9) 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.

(10) Recipients are subject to the Fly America Act (49 U.S.C. 1517

as implemented by 41 CFR 301-3.6).

(11) Executive Order 12372 ``Intergovernmental Review of Federal

Programs'' does not apply to this program.

(12) The Paperwork Reduction Act does apply to this program. This

document involves collections of information subject to the Paperwork

Reduction Act, which have been approved by the Office of Management and

Budget under OMB Control Numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-

0046, and 0605-0001. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no

person is required to respond to, nor shall a person be subject to, a

penalty for failure to comply with a collection of information subject

to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act unless that

collection of

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information displays a current valid OMB control number.

(13) 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.

The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance number is 11.115.

Dated: July 20, 1998.

E. Vivian Spathopoulos,

Deputy Director, US&FCS/Russia--NIS Program Office.

[FR Doc. 98-19620 Filed 7-21-98; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P