Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, Chicago Regional Office, 55 East Monroe Street, Suite 1406, Chicago, Illinois 60603

R -- COOPERATIVE AGREEMENT TO OPERATE THE NATIVE AMERICAN BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER (NABDC) SOL 05-10-95006-01. DUE 030195. Contact Person, David Vega, Regional Director at 312/353-0182. In accordance with Executive Order 11625 and 15 U.S.C. 1512, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is soliciting competitive applications to operate its Minnesota Native American Business Development Center (NABDC). Contingent upon the availability of Federal funds, the cost of performance for the first budget period (13 months) from July 1, 1995 to July 30, 1996, is estimated at $169,125, composed of a base funding of $165,000 plus the Audit Fee amount of $4,125. The NABDC will provide service to the defined geographic area. Competition is open to individuals, non-profit and for-profit organizations, state and local governments, American Indian tribes and educational institutions. The purpose of the NABDC is to provide integrated business development services to Native American entrepreneurs. Applications will be evaluated on the following criteria: the experience and capabilities of the firm and its staff in addressing the needs of the business community in general and, specifically, the special needs of Native American 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). 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 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 NABDC's performance, the availability of funds and Agency priorities. 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 the event that a CPA firm wins the competition, the funds allocated for audits are not applicable. 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. DATES: The closing date for applications must be received in the MBDA Executive Secretariat on or before March 1, 1995. ADDRESSES: U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development Agency, MBDA Executive Secretariat, 14th and Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 5073, Washington, D.C. 20230, (202)482-3763. A pre-application conference will be held on February 3, 1995, at the U.S. General Services Administration, Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, 1 Federal Drive, Room 196, Fort Snelling, Minnesota 55111, Attention: Carrie Benhoff. 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. 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. 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 NABDC 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, Secton 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 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, 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. 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. The Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance name and number is 11.801 Native American Program. (023)

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