Minority Business Roundtable

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No: 980205029-8029-01]

RIN 0640-ZA01

Minority Business Roundtable

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: Funds in the amount of $150,000 are available to conduct a

competitive grant solicitation for the most qualified applicant who

will plan, organize and coordinate the appropriate resources of the

public and private sectors for the development of a self-sustaining

Minority Business Roundtable (MBR). An MBR is hereby defined as

business owners working together on issues affecting mutual long-term

growth. The MBR shall be designed to generate and advocate policy

positions of the minority business community regarding consequential

issues of economic and social well being. It is essential that concerns

of minority companies be heard by local, state and Federal decision-

makers. Areas of concern include access to capital, community

redevelopment, government regulations, international trade and

investment, taxation, education, tort policies and corporate

governance. Currently, there is no uniform voice, nor is there a policy

discussion vehicle for the minority business community. To establish

the MBR, the applicant shall propose a detailed statement of work in

response to MBDA's Work Requirements. The statement of work shall

entail mobilizing the minority business community and the necessary

resources of the public and private sector for the formation and

sustainment of the MBR. In the formation of the MBR, the applicant

shall provide an approach for determining and addressing the issues and

priorities of the minority business community.

The MBR will be national in scope and will serve minority firms

throughout the fifty states. A minority firm is one that is defined by

Executive Order 11625, effective October 13, 1991, as follows: ``

`Minority Business Enterprise' means one that is owned or controlled by

one or more socially or economically disadvantaged persons.'' Such

persons include, but are not limited to, Negroes, Puerto Ricans,

Spanish-Speaking Americans, American Indians, Eskimos and Aleuts, Asian

Pacific Americans, Asian Indians and Hasidic Jews. The MBR will operate

independently of any Federal, state/local government entity. It may be

patterned after the existing Business Roundtable, a twenty-four year

old association comprised of 220 Fortune 500 Chief Executive Officers

(CEO). The CEOs serve on issue-oriented task forces and collectively

direct research, supervise preparation of position papers, recommend

policy positions

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and advocate on specific issues affecting American businesses.

The primary objective of this project is two-fold: 1. The grantee

shall plan, develop and implement the activities necessary to realize

the formation of the MBR Planning Group and the design and operational

structure of the MBR during the 12 month MBDA funding period, and 2.

The grantee shall submit specific plans (including a non-Federal

budget) to spearhead the establishment and sustainment of the MBR

during the first 12 months after the award period.

Documentation is required for proposed private and public sector

support of the non-federal budget in the application. MBDA funding of

this project is subject to agency priorities and the availability of

funds.

DATES: A pre-application conference to assist all interested applicants

will be held on February 17, 1998, at 2:00 p.m., at the U.S. Department

of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 5045, Washington,

D.C. 20230. The closing date for applications is March 16, 1998, 30

days after the pre-application conference. Applications must be

received in the MBDA Headquarter's Executive Secretariat no later than

Monday, March 16, 1998 (5:00 p.m., eastern standard time).

Proper identification is required for entrance into any federal

building.

ADDRESSES: Competitive Application Packages for the Minority Business

Roundtable will be available from MBDA beginning February 12, 1998. To

obtain a copy of the application package, please call, (202) 482-3261,

or facsimile (202) 501-6137/(202) 482-5117. Or, you may send a written

request with two (2) self-addressed mailing labels to Robert B. Hooks,

Acting Chief of Administration Services, U.S. Department of Commerce,

Minority Business Development Agency, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW,

Room 5087, Washington, D.C. 20230.

Send applications to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority

Business Development Agency, Executive Secretariat, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW, Room 5073, Washington, D.C. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Robert B. Hooks, Acting Chief of

Administration Services, (202) 482-3261.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Contingent upon the availability of Federal

funds, the cost of performance for the budget period (12 months) is

estimated at $150,000 in federal funds. There are no specific matching

requirements for this award. The applicant shall be aware that funding

for this award is limited to one 12 month budget period.

Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. Sec. 1512 authorize MBDA to

provide financial assistance to public and private organizations to

assist in the growth and expansion of the nation's minority business

sector.

The funding instrument for this project will be a grant.

Competition is open to non-profit and for-profit organizations, state

and local governments, American Indian Tribes and educational

institutions. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria:

1. The Expertise and Capabilities of the firm and its staff or proven

track record for addressing the economic and social needs of the

minority business community--50 points, 2. The Resources available to

the applicant firm for the planning and formation of the MBR--20

points, 3. The firm's approach, Techniques and Methodologies, for

performing the work requirements in an efficient, effective and

creative manner--20 points, and 4. The realism of the firm's Estimated

Cost of performing the work requirements, including any proposed cost-

sharing--10 points. Applications will be evaluated by a review panel.

An application must receive 70% of the points assigned to each element

of the evaluation criteria to be considered programmatically acceptable

and responsive. Those applications determined to be acceptable and

responsive will be reviewed by the Director of MBDA. Final award

selection by the Director of MBDA shall be based on the number of

points received, the demonstrated responsibility of the applicant, and

the determination of the firm most likely to further the stated

purposes of the MBR. 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.

The anticipated processing time for this award is 90 days from the

closing date. If an application is selected for funding, DoC 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 DoC. Awards under

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

Department regulations, policies and procedures applicable to Federal

assistance awards.

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.

Application Forms and Kit

The Standard Forms 424, Application for Federal Assistance; 424A,

Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs; and 424B, Assurances--

Non-Construction Programs, (Rev 4-88), shall be used in applying for

financial assistance under this program

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 or

written 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 Accounts 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, or a 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 whether any

key individuals associated with the applicant have been convicted or

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 MBR work

requirements; and reporting inaccurate

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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 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 Workplace Requirements and Lobbying,'' and

the following explanations are provided:

1. 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.

2. Drug-Free Workplace--Grantees (as defined at 15 CFR Part 26,

Section 605) are subject to 15 CFR Part 26, Subpart F, ``Government-

wide Requirements for Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)'' and the related

section of the certification form prescribed above applies.

3. 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.

4. Anti-Lobbying Disclosures--Any applicant that has paid or will

pay 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 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 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 sub-

recipient 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 in accordance with Congressional

intent as set forth in the resolution contained in Public Law 105-119,

Sections 607 (a) and (b).

Executive Order 12866: It has been determined that this notice is

not significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.

The Recipient shall comply with the provisions of the Fly America

Act.

Dated: February 6, 1998.

Courtland Cox,

Acting Director, Minority Business Development Agency.

[FR Doc. 98-3499 Filed 2-11-98; 8:45 am]

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