[Federal Register: June 16, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 115)]
[Notices]
[Page 33623-33625]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16jn04-36]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No. 0405426162-4162-01]
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration (EDA); Department of
Commerce (DOC).
ACTION: Notice and request for proposals.
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SUMMARY: The mission of EDA is to lead the Federal economic development
agenda by promoting innovation and competitiveness, which will prepare
American regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. EDA
administers the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Firms Program
(the ``Program'') to assist manufacturing and production firms, which
have lost domestic sales and employment due to increased imports of
similar or competitive goods (a ``trade-impacted firm''), become more
competitive in the global economy. EDA administers the Program through
a national network of Trade Adjustment Assistance Centers (TAACs).
With funding from EDA, TAACs assist trade-impacted firms by (i)
preparing and submitting petitions to EDA for certification of
eligibility necessary to apply for assistance under the Program (a
``certified firm''), (ii) assisting certified firms in developing and
submitting for EDA approval adjustment proposals and (iii) sharing in
the cost of implementing (primarily through private sector consultants)
the technical assistance tasks as set forth in approved adjustment
proposals. 13 CFR 315(8)(c). The Program also benefits certain
organizations assisting or representing trade-impacted manufacturing or
production firms. Firms (or organizations representing firms) other
than manufacturing or production firms (e.g., service industries) are
not eligible for benefits under the Program.
Through this competitive solicitation, EDA is seeking proposals
from organizations to administer the Program for the State of New
Jersey. The applicant selected will operate a TAAC to serve the State
of New Jersey for a twelve-month period encompassing the remainder of
FY 2004 and a portion of FY 2005.
DATES: Proposals must be received by the EDA Office of Strategic
Initiatives at the below address by July 15, 2004 at 4 p.m. (EDT).
Proposals received after 4 p.m. (EDT) on July 15, 2004 will not be
considered for funding. By August 15, 2004, EDA will notify applicants
as to
[[Page 33624]]
whether they will receive funding under this competition solicitation.
It is anticipated that the successful applicant will be funded no later
than September 30, 2004; however, there is no guarantee that the
successful applicant will receive funding. Proposals that were not
recommended for funding will be retained by EDA for one year, at which
time such proposals will be destroyed.
ADDRESSES: Applications submitted under this competition solicitation
may be mailed to the address below or hand-delivered to Room 1874 at
the address below:
Anthony Meyer, U.S. Department of Commerce, Economic Development
Administration, Office of Strategic Initiatives, Room 7812, 14th Street
& Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20230, Telephone: (202) 482-
2127 (not a toll free call).
Facsimile or electronic submissions will not be accepted.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: The full Federal Funding Opportunity
announcement for this competitive solicitation is available through
EDA's Web site, http://www.eda.gov, and at http://www.grants.gov or you
may contact the EDA Program Officer listed above. Note that EDA intends
to transfer administrative responsibility for the Program to its
regional offices during FY 2004. When the transfers occur,
administrative responsibility for the New Jersey TAAC will be
transferred to EDA's Philadelphia regional office.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Electronic Access: EDA is not currently able to accept electronic
submissions of proposal packages. The full FFO announcement for the FY
2004 Trade Adjustment for Firms Program competition is available
through EDA's Web site, http://www.eda.gov, and at http://www.grants.gov.
Funding Availability: For FY 2004, EDA has a total of $11,874,000
in appropriations available for the Program. EDA expects to allocate
$738,395 to the TAAC serving the State of New Jersey. EDA typically
awards funding to a TAAC for a twelve-month period, although EDA may
extend such awards. See 13 CFR 315.5, .7(a)(i). Due to the close
relationship between EDA and the New Jersey TAAC, EDA will fund the New
Jersey TAAC under a cooperative agreement.
Statutory Authority: Chapters 3 and 5 of Title II of the Trade Act
of 1974, as amended (Pub. L. 93-618, 19 U.S.C. 2341 et seq.), and as
further amended by 97-35, 98-120, 98-369, 99-272, 99-514, 100-418, 103-
66, 105-277 and 107-210.
CFDA: 11.313, Economic Development--Trade Adjustment Assistance.
Eligibility: A university affiliate, State or local government
affiliate, or a nonprofit organization is an eligible TAAC applicant
and may submit a proposal pursuant to this competitive solicitation. 13
CFR 315.4(a).
Cost Sharing Requirements: Under the Program, a matching share is
not required for certification assistance provided by TAACs to
certified firms or for administrative expenses of the TAAC. Note that
certain income will likely be generated by the TAAC as a certified firm
must, to the extent practicable, pay the TAAC at least 25 percent of
the costs of preparing the certified firm's adjustment proposal. 13 CFR
315.7(b)(1), (2). The TAAC will retain such funds and use them to
support its Program activities.
It is EDA's policy that certified firms pay part of the costs of
consultants hired to assist in implementing the technical assistance
tasks set forth in the certified firm's approved adjustment proposals.
If the total amount of technical assistance requested is $30,000 or
less, the certified firm is generally required to pay at least 25
percent of the consultant costs. If the total amount of technical
assistance requested is above $30,000, the certified form is generally
required pay at least 50 percent of the consultant costs. The TAAC's
total share of consultant costs for technical assistance is generally
limited to $75,000 for any one certified firm.
Intergovernmental Review: Applications submitted under this program
are not subject to Executive Order 12372, ``Intergovernmental Review of
Federal Programs.''
Evaluation and Selection Procedures: The Office of Strategic
Initiatives will conduct an initial administrative review of each
proposal package to determine its completeness and compliance with the
requirements set forth in this competition solicitation. Incomplete
proposals or proposals received after July 15, 2004 filing deadline
will not be considered. The Office of Strategic Initiatives will then
conduct a technical review of each proposal meeting the requirements of
this competition solicitation. The technical review will be conducted
by a minimum of three full-time EDA staff members using the criteria
provided under the section entitled Evaluation Criteria. The review
panel will evaluate each proposal and make its recommendation to the
Selecting Official. The Chief of Staff, Economic Development
Administration, Department of Commerce, is the Selecting Official. Upon
receiving the review panel's recommendation, the Selecting Official may
(i) choose not to make any selection, (ii) follow the recommendation of
the review panel, or (iii) substitute one of the lower ranking
proposals. The Selecting Official may select a lower ranking proposal
for several reasons, including the priorities set forth in the
``Program Priorities'' section below, the investment policy guidelines
set forth in the ``Evaluation Criteria'' section below and the
applicant's performance under previous awards.
Evaluation Criteria: Applications for the proposed TAAC will be
competitively evaluated on their ability to meet or exceed the
following investment policy guidelines (each criterion will be given
roughly equivalent weight):
(1) Be market-based and results driven. A successful TAAC proposal
will capitalize on the organization's strengths and will bolster the
competitiveness of trade-impacted firms, resulting in tangible and
quantifiable improvements in the firm's economic health, such as
retained or increased numbers of jobs, increased sales, or increased
private sector investment.
(2) Have strong organizational leadership. A successful TAAC
proposal will demonstrate strong leadership, relevant project
management experience, and a significant commitment of human resources
talent to ensure a high-performing TAAC. EDA will specifically evaluate
(a) the extent to which the proposed TAAC will maximize coordination
with other relevant organizations (e.g., the Manufacturing Extension
Partnerships and private industry groups) to foster collaboration and
to avoid duplication of services offered by other organizations, and
(b) the sponsoring organization's degree of support and commitment to
the proposed TAAC's mission.
(3) Advance productivity, innovation and entrepreneurship. A
successful TAAC proposal will embrace the principles of
entrepreneurship and focus on improving the stability of trade-impacted
firms through productivity improvements and innovative solutions to the
challenges facing their industries.
(4) Look beyond the immediate economic horizon and anticipate
economic changes. A successful TAAC proposal will describe and set
forth a comprehensive strategy for assisting trade-impacted firms in
identifying and addressing both current and probable future problems.
[[Page 33625]]
Program Priorities: EDA encourages the submission of proposals that
will significantly benefit trade-impacted manufacturing and production
firms. EDA expects to proposals to demonstrate familiarity or an
ability to quickly become familiar with the core TAAC objectives and
activities outlined in the SUMMARY section above and in the FFO for
this competitive solicitation.
Announcement and Award Dates: By August 15, 2004, EDA will notify
applicants as to whether they will receive funding under this
competition solicitation. It is anticipated that the successful
applicant will be funded no later than September 30, 2004; however,
there is no guarantee that the successful applicant will receive
funding. Proposals that were not recommended for funding will be
retained by EDA for one year, at which time such proposals will be
destroyed.
The Department of Commerce Award Notification Requirements for Grants
and Cooperative Agreements
Administrative and national policy requirements for all Department
of Commerce awards are contained in the Department of Commerce Pre-
Award Notification Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements,
published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2001 (66 FR 49917), as
amended by the Federal Register notice published on October 30, 2002
(67 FR 66109). These notices may be accessed by entering the Federal
Register volumes and page numbers noted in the previous sentence at the
following GPO Web site http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html.
Paperwork Reduction Act
This document contains collection-of-information requirements
subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). The use of Forms ED-900P,
SF-424A, SF-424-B and CD-346 have been approved by OMB under the
control numbers 0610-0094, 0348-0044, 0348-0040 and 0605-0001,
respectively. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is
required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty
for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the
requirements of the PRA unless that collection of information displays
a currently valid OMB control number.
Executive Order 12866
This notice has been determined to be not significant for purposes
of Executive Order 12866.
Executive Order 13132 (Federalism)
It has been determined that this notice does not contain policies
with Federalism implications as that term is defined in Executive Order
13132.
Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act
Prior notice and an opportunity for public comments are not
required by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules
concerning grants, benefits and contracts (5 U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because
notice and opportunity for comment are not required pursuant to 5
U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical requirements of the
Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) are inapplicable.
Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not been prepared.
Dated: June 9, 2004.
Mary Pleffner,
Acting Assistant Secretary for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 04-13547 Filed 6-15-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-24-M