To
facilitate opportunities for minority businesses through the utilization
of Federal, State and local governmental entities, and private sector
organizations, that provide minority business owners/individuals
with enhanced access to the marketplace by identifying and facilitating
procurement and contract awards, marketing and sales opportunities,
financing resources, potential joint venture partners, timely market
leads and other current business information; to promote relationship
building and sharing of business information between organizations
in a geographic service area, conducting substantial purchasing
activity; to assist in the identification of sources of capital;
conduct media outreach, disseminate economic data, sponsors workshops,
conferences and seminars within service area; maintain inventories
of resources such as bid opportunities, sources of debt and equity
funds, business ownership possibilities such as franchises, and
prospective joint venture partners.
TYPES
OF ASSISTANCE:
Project Grants. Place Cursor Here for Definition
USES
AND USE RESTRICTIONS:
Funds
will be used in support of the MBDA policy statement on funding
business development programs. Minority Business Development Agency
(MBDA) is charged under Executive Order 11625 with fostering new
minority business enterprises and maintaining and strengthening
existing firms to increase their opportunities to participate and
receive the benefits of our economic system. MBDA uses a portion
of its program funds to award contracts, grants, and cooperative
agreements to public and private sector entities which have the
greatest potential for developing access to capital, market, and
other opportunities on behalf of minority business. The performance
of each funded recipient is evaluated on a scheduled basis. Renewals
are based on Agency priorities, funding availability, and performance
of recipients.
ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant
Eligibility: Applicants for this program are
Federal, State or local government entities or quasi governmental
entities, American Indian Tribes, colleges, universities, and nonprofit
organizations.
Beneficiary
Eligibility: Beneficiaries of this program
are minority business persons/firms. Eligible beneficiaries of
this program have been designated as African American, Native
American, Aleut, Asian Indian, Asian Pacific American, Eskimo,
Hasidic Jew, Puerto Rican, and Spanish-Speaking Americans.
Credentials/Documentation:
Costs will be determined in accordance with OMB Circular Nos.
A-87 for awards to State, local and Federally Recognized Indian
Tribal Governments; A-21, Cost Principles For Educational Institutions;
and A-122 for other recipients.
Pre-application
Coordination: A preapplication conference may
be scheduled for recipients of these awards. 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 Department of Commerce must be used for this
program. Recipients are subject to the administrative requirements
contained in 15 CFR Part 14 OR 15 CFR Part 24.
Award
Procedure: The application package 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 approximately
4 to 6 months after closing date for submission of applications.
Successful and unsuccessful applicants shall be notified in writing
at the same time.
Appeals:
All decisions are final. There are no administrative appeals.
Renewals:
Minority Business Opportunity Committee (MBOC) awards may be made
for a period of 3 years with funding provided on an annual basis
at the sole discretion of MBDA and the Department of Commerce.
Performance evaluations will be conducted, and funding levels
will be established for each of the three budget periods. The
MBOC will receive continued funding after the initial competitive
year at the discretion of MBDA based upon the availability of
funds, the MBOC's performance, and agency priorities.
ASSISTANCE
CONSIDERATIONS:
Formula
and Matching Requirements: Projects may be required
to provide the 15 percent minimum amount of cost-sharing in the
form of in- kind contributions and/or cash.
Length
and Time Phasing of Assistance: For 1 to 3
years depending on the requirements of the projects.
POST
ASSISTANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Reports:
Financial (quarterly and annually), narrative (quarterly and annually);
statistical reports are required.
Audits:
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A- 133 (Revised,
June 24, 1997), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Nonprofit
Organizations," nonfederal 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 MBOC program are required to remain available
to the Federal Government for 3 years from the date of submission
of the final financial status report in accordance with the applicable
administrative requirements.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION:
Account
Identification: 13-0201-0-1-376.
Obligations:
(Grants/Cooperative Agreements) FY 01 $1,634,546; FY 02 est $1,209,546;
and FY 03 est $1,209,546.
Range
and Average of Financial Assistance:
From $133,262 to $400,000.
In fiscal year 2001, MBDA began implementing a program that will
allow the agency to deliver program services through line telecommunications.
This vehicle will enable the agency to provide management and technical
assistance to business owners who lack access to a MBOC. MBDA has
a home page on the World Wide Web through which it will disseminate
business information.
REGULATIONS,
GUIDELINES, AND LITERATURE:
There are no applicable regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) for this program.
INFORMATION
CONTACTS:
Regional
or Local Office: Contact the nearest Minority
Business Development Agency Regional Office listed in Appendix IV
of the Catalog.
Headquarters
Office: Stephen Boykin, Business Development
Specialist, Room 5079, Minority Business Development Agency, Department
of Commerce, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC
20230. Telephone: (202) 482-6022. Use the same number for FTS.
Web
Site Address: http://www.mbda.gov
EXAMPLES
OF FUNDED PROJECTS:
In fiscal year 2002, the Los Angeles MBOC's is required to generate
through its partners, contract and procurement opportunities to
minority businesses totaling $750,000,000. Strategic outreach efforts
can account for $1.1 billion in minority contracting, over 21,000
new jobs and will pave the way for future competitive efforts to
stimulate growth in a challenged economy.
CRITERIA
FOR SELECTING PROPOSALS:
Competitive awards for the MBOC program are made based on a panel
evaluation of the applications. This evaluation includes such factors
as capability and experience of staff assigned to the project; techniques
and methodology resources and costs.
