To
provide electronic and one-on-one business development service to
Native Americans interested in entering, expanding or improving
their efforts in the marketplace. To help Native American business
development centers to provide a wide range of services to Native
American clients, from initial consultation to the identification
and resolution of specific business problems.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
The
Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) competitively selects
and funds eight Native American Business Development Centers (NABDC's)
to provide management and technical assistance to Native Americans
located throughout the country. Recipients of NAP funds provide
clients with advice and counseling in such areas as preparing financial
packages, business counseling, business information and management,
accounting guidance, marketing, business/industrial site analysis,
production, engineering, construction assistance, procurement and
identification of potential business opportunities. MBDA does not
have the authority to nor does it make loans to Native American
firms. Program funds are restricted to providing management and
technical assistance.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: There are no eligibility restrictions
for this program. Applicants eligible to provide services to the
Native American community may include individuals, nonprofit organizations,
for-profit firms, local and State governments, Native American Tribes,
and educational institutions.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Native Americans will benefit.
Award recipients must provide assistance to Native Americans interested
in starting, expanding, or maintaining a business. Assistance
emphasis is on Native Americans.
Credentials/Documentation:
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular No. A-87
for awards to States, local governments and Federally Recognized
Indian Tribal Governments. OMB Circular No. A-21 for educational
institutions; OMB Circular No. A-122 will be used for other recipients.
Administrative requirements for States, local governments and
Federally Recognized Indian Tribal Governments are contained in
15 CFR, Part 24. All other recipients are subject to the administrative
requirements contained in 15 CFR Part 14.
Pre-application
Coordination: Preapplication conferences may
be scheduled for NAP projects. The conferences will be announced
in the Federal Register. This program is excluded from coverage
under E.O. 12372.
Application
Procedure: The standard application forms
as furnished by the Federal agency and required by 15 CFR Part
24 must be used for this program. This program is subject to the
provisions of 15 CFR Part 14.
Award
Procedure: The Federal Register Notice will
advise the applicant where to submit the application. Each application
will be reviewed and evaluated by MBDA. Name checks, verification
of academic credentials and pre-award audits may be required from
applicants.
Deadlines:
Deadlines for formal competitive awards are outlined in the Federal
Register.
Range
of Approval/Disapproval Time: From 4 to 6
months. Unsuccessful applicants shall be notified in writing within
10 days of notification to the successful applicant.
Appeals:
All decisions are final. There is no administrative appeal process.
Renewals:
NAP awards are made for a period of 3 years with funding provided
on an annual basis at the discretion of MBDA and the Department
of Commerce. Performance evaluations will be conducted, and funding
levels will be established for each of three budget periods. The
NAP recipient will receive continued funding after the initial
competitive year at the discretion of MBDA based upon the availability
of funds, the recipients performance, and agency priorities.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: This program has
no statutory formula. The Native American Program does not require
any matching or cost-sharing by the recipient.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: Awards may
be granted for 1 to 3 years.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Financial (quarterly and annually); narrative (semi annually and
annually); statistical reports on each client are required.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit
Organizations," non federal entities that expend financial assistance
of $300,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a
program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities
that expend less than $300,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt
from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted
in Circular No. A-133.
Records:
Documents, papers and financial records of grantees or subrecipients
relating to the NAP are required to remain available to the Federal
Government for 3 years from the date of submission of the final
financial status report.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 13-0201-0-1-376.
Obligations:
(Cooperative Agreements) FY 02 $1,583,500; FY 03 est $1,583,500;
and FY 04 est $1,583,500.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance: $155,000 to $287,500.
In fiscal year 2002, MBDA funded Native American business development
centers in 8 locations that provided management and technical assistance
to minority business enterprise clients. Clients were assisted to
obtain $82.9 million in financial packages and $108.2 million in
procurement contracts from financial institutions and procurement
sources, respectively.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
There are no applicable regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Contact the nearest Minority
Business Development Agency Regional Office listed in Appendix IV
of the Catalog.
Headquarters
Office: Barbara Curry, Room 5071, Minority
Business Development Agency, Department of Commerce, 14th and
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230. Telephone: (202)
482-1940. Use the same number for FTS.
Web
Site Address: http://www.mbda.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
An NABDC located in Oklahoma received a $235,000 award to provide
one-to-one management and technical assistance to eligible Native
American clients to develop business plans and promote the development
and operation of businesses.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Competitive awards for the NAP are made based upon a panel evaluation
of the applications. This evaluation includes such factors as capability
and experience of staff assigned to the project, techniques, methodology,
resources and costs.
