[Federal Register: July 30, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 146)] [Notices] [Page 41382-41383] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr30jy99-50] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE Minority Business Development Agency [Docket No. 990713191-9191-01] RIN 0640-ZA05 Identification of Currently Funded Projects Eligible to be Extended for an Additional Year of Funding in Light of MBDA's Intent to Revise Its Client Service-Delivery Programs AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the Minority Business Development Agency's (MBDA) identification of certain currently funded Minority Business Development Centers (MBDC) and Native American Business Development Centers (NABDC) which will be eligible for an additional year of funding beyond the normal three years allowed between competitions. [[Page 41383]] Providing an additional year of funding will permit MBDA needed time to develop a revision of the work requirements for its client service- delivery programs. It is MBDA's intent to revise the methods and scope of its client service-delivery programs to include use of extensive state-of-the-art information technology to collect and disseminate information for and about minority businesses and markets. DATES: July 30, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Juanita Berry at (202) 482-3262. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under Executive Order 11625, MBDA provides business development services to persons who are members of groups determined by MBDA to be socially or economically disadvantaged, and to business concerns owned and controlled by such individuals. To deliver these services, MBDA intends to broaden the work requirements under its client service-delivery programs. Such programs include the MBDC, NABDC, and the Native American Business Consultant (NABC) programs, all of which are funded through cooperative agreements. The work requirements under these programs will include a less labor-intensive approach with more electronic/digital business information centers for providing business development services. The scope of work for MBDA's broadened client service-delivery programs will include an extensive state-of-the-art information technology to collect and disseminate information for and about minority businesses and markets. The focus of this business information will be in such areas as effective public/ private sector partnership strategies; sources of information and their acquisition; organization of information for and about minority business; and operation of on-line business information centers. MBDA intends to implement the new work requirements for its client service- delivery programs through a competition published in the Federal Register in the Summer/Fall of 2000, with new cooperative agreements effective 1/1/2001. Consequently, there will be no new competition for MBDCs, NABDCs, and the NABC during 1999. As part of the transition to the revised client service-delivery programs, MBDA intends to provide an additional year of funding, on a non-competitive basis, to current, eligible MBDCs and NABDCs which will be completing the third year or more of operation on 12/31/99. Such additional funding will be at the total discretion of MBDA based on such factors as the MBDCs' and NABDCs' performance, the availability of funds and Agency priorities. Normally, such Centers would undergo a new competition after three years of operation; however these Centers were funded beyond that period of time in order to establish their 12-month award cycles on a calendar year basis. The additional year of funding, as announced in this Notice, will allow MBDA the necessary time to develop its revised programs and to apply the new work requirements to all MBDCs and NABDCs, effective 1/1/2001. Therefore, the following MBDCs and NABDCs are affected by this notice and will be eligible for an additional year (1/1/2000 through 12/31/2000) of funding on a non- competitive basis: the Alaska MBDC, 60 FR 8636 (February 15, 1995); the New Mexico NABDC, 60 FR 9665 (February 21, 1995); the Mississippi Statewide MBDC, 61 FR 19046 (April 30, 1996); the Newark MBDC, 61 FR 28851 (June 6, 1996); the East Los Angeles, the Cincinnati, the West Los Angeles, and the Oklahoma City MBDCs, 61 FR 29731 (June 12, 1996); the Arizona and the California NABDCs and the Hampton Roads MBDC, 61 FR 43043 (August 20, 1996); the Louisville and the South Carolina Statewide MBDCs, 61 FR 48128 (September 12, 1996); and the New Mexico Statewide MBDC, 61 FR 28850 (June 6, 1996). In conjunction with the eligibility for an additional year of funding, the Ventura County MBDC, 61 FR 29733 (June 12, 1996, under the name Oxnard) will be eligible for a two-month extension (11/1/99 through 12/31/99) in order to establish its 12-month award cycle on a calendar year basis. In addition, the MBDCs located in Miami/Ft. Lauderdale, 60 FR 8639 (February 15, 1995) and in Raleigh/Durham, 60 FR 37877 (June 24, 1995), will be eligible for another year of funding, for the same reasons described above. These MBDCs had previously received an additional year (1/1/99 through 12/31/99) after competitions for the Centers were unsuccessful. This notice also amends MBDA's prior notices, 63 FR 14900 (March 27, 1998), and 63 FR 14903 (March 27, 1998), in which it was indicated that, after their first year of funding, MBDC and NABDC operators may be eligible to receive up to two additional twelve-month budget periods. In view of MBDA's transition to revise its client service- delivery programs, MBDCs and NABDCs receiving new cooperative agreement awards, which were effective 1/1/99, under the aforementioned Federal Register solicitations, will be eligible to receive only one additional budget period (1/1/2000 through 12/31/2000). Such additional funding will also be at the total discretion of MBDA based on such factors as the MBDC's and NABDCs' performance, the availability of funds and Agency priorities. Limiting the eligibility of such Centers to two years of operation will allow MBDA to include all MBDCs and NABDCs and the NABC in the competition under the revised programs which are planned for implementation by 1/1/2001. Accordingly, the following MBDCs and NABDCs are affected by this notice and will be limited to two years of eligibility for operation of Centers: the El Paso, the Philadelphia, the Williamsburg, and the San Jose MBDCs, and the Minnesota, the North Dakota and the Oklahoma NABDCs. Executive Order 12866 This notice was determined to be not significant for purposes of E.O. 12866. Administrative Procedure Act The provisions of the Administrative Procedure Act requiring notice of proposed rulemaking, the opportunity for public participation, and a delay in effective date, are inapplicable because this notice is a matter relating to public property, loans, grants, benefits, or contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Regulatory Flexibility Act Because a notice of proposed rulemaking and opportunities for public comments are not required to be given for this notice by 5 U.S.C. 553 or by any other law, the analytical requirements of the Regulatory Flexibility Act, 5 U.S.C. 601, are inapplicable. Executive Order 12612 This notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications sufficient to warrant preparation of a Federalism assessment under Executive order 12612. Authority: 15 U.S.C. 1512 and Executive Order 11625. Dated: July 23, 1999. Juanita E. Berry, Federal Register Liaison Officer, Minority Business Development Agency. Courtland Cox, Director, Minority Business Development Agency. [FR Doc. 99-19516 Filed 7-29-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-21-M