[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27992-27996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-11949]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economic Development Administration
[Docket No.: 100427196-0196-01]
Solicitation of Applications for the Research and Evaluation
Program: FY 2010 Mapping Regional Innovation Clusters Project
Competition
AGENCY: Economic Development Administration, Department of Commerce.
ACTION: Notice and request for applications.
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SUMMARY: Pursuant to the Research and Evaluation program, the Economic
Development Administration (EDA) solicits applications to develop,
implement, and disseminate information that will enable policymakers
and practitioners to more effectively understand the regional
innovation clusters that drive the national economy and how regional
assets and innovation inputs help shape these clusters at the local
level. EDA's mission is to lead the Federal economic development agenda
by promoting innovation and competitiveness, preparing American regions
for growth and success in the worldwide economy. Through its Research
and Evaluation program, EDA works towards fulfilling its mission by
funding research and technical assistance projects to promote
competitiveness and innovation in distressed rural and urban regions
throughout the United States and its territories. By working in
conjunction with its research partners, EDA will help States, local
governments, and community-based organizations to achieve their highest
economic potential.
DATES: To be considered timely, a completed application, regardless of
the format in which it is submitted, must be either (a) transmitted and
time-stamped at http://www.grants.gov no later than June 21, 2010, at
5:00 pm Eastern Time; or (b) received by the EDA
[[Page 27993]]
representative listed under ``For Further Information Contact'' no
later than June 21, 2010, at 5 p.m. Eastern Time.
Application Submission Requirements: Applicants are advised to read
carefully the instructions contained in section IV of the Federal
funding opportunity (FFO) announcement for this request for
applications. For a copy of the FFO announcement, please see the Web
sites listed below under ``Electronic Access.''
Applications may be submitted in two formats: (a) electronically in
accordance with the instructions provided at http://www.grants.gov or
via e-mail to the address provided below in ``Electronic Submissions;''
or (b) in paper format at the address provided below. EDA will not
accept facsimile transmissions of applications. The content of the
application is the same for paper submissions as it is for electronic
submissions.
Applicants applying electronically through http://www.grants.gov or
via e-mail may access the application package by following the
instructions provided at http://www.grants.gov. Alternatively, you may
obtain paper application packages by contacting the individual listed
below under ``For Further Information Contact.''
Electronic Submissions: Applicants may submit complete applications
through http://www.grants.gov or via e-mail to Hillary Sherman-Zelenka
at [email protected]. Applicants are encouraged to submit
applications electronically at http://www.grants.gov. The preferred
electronic file format for attachments is portable document format
(PDF); however, EDA will accept electronic files in Microsoft Word,
WordPerfect, or Microsoft Excel.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to start early and not to wait
until the approaching deadline before logging on and reviewing the
application instructions at http://www.grants.gov. Applicants should
save and print written proof of an electronic submission made at http://www.grants.gov. If problems occur, the applicant is advised to (a)
print any error message received; and (b) call the http://www.grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 for assistance. The
Contact Center is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except for
Federal holidays). The following link lists useful resources: http://www.grants.gov/help/help.jsp. If you do not find an answer to your
question under ``Applicant FAQs,'' try consulting the ``Applicant User
Guide'' or contacting http://www.grants.gov via e-mail at
[email protected] or telephone at 1-800-518-4726.
Paper Submissions: Paper (hardcopy) applications submitted under
this notice and request for applications may be hand-delivered or
mailed to:
FY 2010 Mapping Regional Innovation Clusters Project Competition,
Hillary Sherman-Zelenka, Program Analyst, Economic Development
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue,
NW., Room 7009, Washington, DC 20230.
Applicants are advised that, due to mail security measures, EDA's
receipt of mail sent via the United States Postal Service may be
substantially delayed or suspended in delivery. Applicants may wish to
use a guaranteed overnight delivery service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For additional information on the
Research and Evaluation program or to obtain a paper application
package for this notice, please contact Hillary Sherman-Zelenka,
Program Analyst, via e-mail at [email protected] (preferred) or by
telephone at (202) 482-3357. Additional information about EDA and its
Research and Evaluation program may be obtained from EDA's Web site at
http://www.eda.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background: Recent shifts in the global landscape are profoundly
impacting regions across the United States. Communities across the
nation, both urban and rural, are facing the intensifying pressures of
globalization. For instance, the deployment of high-speed
communications, adoption of liberalized trade policies, and innovations
in transportation infrastructure have heightened the mobility of goods,
labor and knowledge.
These transformations warrant dramatic shifts in the role of
economic development professionals. While in the past some development
specialists could focus exclusively on the ``buffalo hunt'' (i.e., seek
to attract large employers to their region) and conceive strategies in
narrow, jurisdictional terms, today these practices are no longer
effective and development specialists must engage in thoughtful
analysis of regional assets to create comprehensive strategies that are
capable of successfully promoting regional prosperity.
Clusters--and specifically regional innovation clusters--represent
an important concept for development practitioners aiming to promote
the prosperity of their region. Introduced into the common lexicon by
Michael E. Porter's foundational work,\1\ clusters are generally
recognized to represent the economic efficiencies that exist when
industries and their suppliers co-locate. In the twenty years since
Porter's first work on the subject, numerous researchers have examined
the benefits and opportunities that they afford. In particular, recent
work has focused on regional innovation clusters and how they can be
employed to create jobs, spur business creation, and promote long-term
economic prosperity.\2\
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\1\ Michael E. Porter, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (New
York, NY: Free Press, 1990).
\2\ Jonathan Sallet, Ed Paisley, and Justin Masterman, The
Geography of Innovation: The Federal Government and the Growth of
Regional Innovation Clusters (Science Progress, 2009).
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Unlike traditional clusters, regional innovation clusters represent
not only the economic efficiencies that exist from the co-location of
similar industries and suppliers, but also consist of the active
networks of synergistic organizations that engage with various
businesses within a particular industry sector, the regional assets
that exist within the geographic region, and the nodes that are
critical for supporting the innovation work of the industry sector,
such as R&D centers, venture capitalists, universities and colleges,
national labs, and networks of entrepreneurs.
While the body of literature defining regional innovation clusters
and discussing their impact on communities is prolific among academics,
policy analysts, and national development organizations, this
information has not been adequately translated and disseminated into an
accessible and persuasive format to the people charged with promoting
local economic prosperity.
Recognizing this discontinuity, EDA, pursuant to its Research and
Evaluation program, solicits applications for an economic development
research project aimed at developing a replicable method for
identifying and mapping regional innovation clusters, providing
resources on best practices, and providing recommendations on metrics
for the evaluation of regional innovation clusters.
Proposed Study: Clusters--and specifically regional innovation
clusters (RICs)--hold much promise for assisting local economic
development specialists in developing comprehensive economic
development strategies that can create jobs, spur business creation,
and promote long-term economic prosperity. Unfortunately, while RICs
have been widely discussed among policy circles, information on how to
identify or support RICs has not been made widely available to front-
line practitioners. To rectify this, EDA solicits applications
[[Page 27994]]
from qualified researchers to accomplish the following:
a. Solicit Input From Practitioners and Policymakers
Applicants should include a process for soliciting input from
practitioners and policymakers on how they anticipate using the
regional innovation cluster map and tool. Applicants are encouraged to
seek input from a diverse spectrum of users, and should ensure that
inputs from individuals in both urban and rural geographies are sought
out.
b. Develop a Method for Identifying Regional Innovation Clusters
Applicants should propose a method for identifying regional
innovation clusters across the U.S. EDA envisions a method that allows
users to glean information not only on their industrial and/or
occupational clusters, but also on the competitive strengths (assets)
of their region, and the region's innovation potential. Applicants are
strongly encouraged to build upon previous cluster, asset mapping, and
innovation work.
While there are a wide variety of methods for identifying clusters,
most are based on assessing the density of industries in a given region
using location quotients of the industry NAICS codes (i.e., the density
of industries in a region compared to the national density of
industries). Occupational clusters, which are based on Standard
Occupational Classification (SOC) codes generated by the U.S.
Department of Labor, offer another perspective for viewing the density
of the skill-sets of a regional population. EDA recognizes the
intrinsic value such methods afford, but believes that they sometimes
offer a limited snapshot through which to view local economies.
Further, EDA recognizes that much of today's cluster work utilizes
location quotients without taking into account the historical
trajectory of the growth or decline. EDA anticipates selecting a
proposal that articulates ways to incorporate the use of location
quotients as a foundation, but that also utilizes cluster analysis,
trend analysis, and forecasting to inform the method for identifying
regional innovation clusters and developing a related mapping tool.
A wide body of literature exists on what inputs are critical to
support innovation. This work should be considered as part of the
development of the method for identifying regional innovation clusters.
EDA has funded two projects focused on innovation: (i) Indiana Business
Research Center's Innovation Index (available at http://www.statsamerica.org/innovation/index.html), and (ii) West Virginia
University's State Innovation Map (available at http://rrigis.rri.wvu.edu/). Applicants are strongly encouraged to leverage
the work produced from these previous EDA investments. EDA recognizes
the value such innovation tools afford, but also understands that their
applicability would be much greater if tied to the clusters and
competitive strengths of a region. EDA anticipates funding a proposal
that offers a method for integrating innovation inputs and activities
with data on a region's competitive assets and clusters.
An extensive body of literature discusses how clusters and
innovation depend upon the underlying assets of a region \3\. EDA
expects to fund a proposal that recognizes the inherent link among
clusters, innovation, and regional assets and proposes a method for
identifying regional innovation clusters that considers these inputs in
developing the method.
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\3\ Council on Competitiveness, Illuminate: Asset Mapping
Roadmap: A Guide to Assessing Regional Development Resources (2007).
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Please see the FFO announcement for this request for applications
for more detailed information on the project scope of work and required
tasks, including the development of a national map of regional
innovation clusters, creation of an interactive mapping tool, and
identification of metrics for success of evaluating regional innovation
clusters.
Any information disseminated to the public under this announcement
is subject to the Information Quality Act (Pub. L. 106-554). Applicants
are required to comply with the Information Quality Guidelines issued
by EDA pursuant to the Information Quality Act, which are designed to
ensure and maximize the quality, objectivity, utility, and integrity of
information disseminated by EDA. These guidelines can be found on EDA's
Web site at http://www.eda.gov.
Electronic Access: The FFO announcement for the FY 2010 Mapping
Regional Innovation Clusters Project competition is available at http://www.grants.gov and at http://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/FFON.xml.
Funding Availability: Funding appropriated under the Consolidated
Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117, 123 Stat. 3034 at 3114
(2009)) is available for the economic development assistance programs
authorized by the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.) (PWEDA) and for the Trade Adjustment
Assistance for Firms Program under the Trade Act of 1974, as amended
(19 U.S.C. 2341 et seq.). Funds in the amount of $255,000,000 have been
appropriated for FY 2010 and shall remain available until expended.
For the Research and Evaluation program, EDA is allocating
$1,500,000 in FY 2010. EDA anticipates that the mapping regional
innovation clusters award or awards made under this competitive
solicitation will involve a multi-year project period, with total
funding for this research effort reaching up to $1,000,000 for each
year. Funding beyond the first year for the grant award shall be
contingent on satisfactory performance, availability of appropriations,
and EDA priorities.
Statutory Authority: The authority for the Research and Evaluation
program is section 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3147). EDA's regulations,
which will govern an award made under this announcement, are codified
at 13 CFR chapter III. The regulations and PWEDA are accessible at
http://www.eda.gov/InvestmentsGrants/Lawsreg.xml.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 11.312,
Economic Development--Research and Evaluation.
Applicant Eligibility: Pursuant to PWEDA, eligible applicants for
and recipients of EDA investment assistance include a District
Organization; an Indian Tribe or a consortium of Indian Tribes; a
State; a city or other political subdivision of a State, including a
special purpose unit of a State or local government engaged in economic
or infrastructure development activities, or a consortium of political
subdivisions; an institution of higher education or a consortium of
institutions of higher education; and a public or private non-profit
organization or association. For-profit, private-sector entities also
are eligible for investment assistance under the Research and
Evaluation program to carry out specific research or for other purposes
set forth in section 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3147) and 13 CFR 306.1.
See also 42 U.S.C. 3122.
Anticipated Project Period: EDA anticipates a three-year project
period with funding in one-year increments, subject to the availability
of funds, EDA policy, and satisfactory performance under the award.
Applicants should ensure that their proposal and budget clearly specify
how they will complete the scope of work, which consists of the tasks
listed in section I.B of the FFO announcement, compose the resulting
report and Web tools, and present the report and Web tools to EDA
senior
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management within this timeframe. A typical research project period
begins with an initial meeting between the recipient and EDA staff to
discuss project scope and to ensure that all parties are in agreement
as to project terms. After the initial meeting, the recipient generally
submits a final work plan to EDA staff for review and approval. Since
an award made under this competitive solicitation is envisioned as a
cooperative agreement, EDA will have substantial involvement throughout
the project period. Progress and financial reports, and project work
will be submitted to EDA based on the dates agreed to during the
initial meeting and as outlined in the award special terms and
conditions.
Typically, the recipient submits a draft research report to EDA at
least 90 days before the end of the project period for EDA's review. If
the draft research report is approved, EDA will approve publication of
a final research report, and the recipient will brief EDA senior
management on research methods and report results.
Cost Sharing Requirement: Generally, the amount of the EDA grant
may not exceed fifty percent of the total cost of the project. Projects
may receive an additional amount that shall not exceed thirty percent,
as determined by EDA, based on the relative needs of the region in
which the project will be located. See section 204(a) of PWEDA (42
U.S.C. 3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(1). The Assistant Secretary of
Commerce for Economic Development has the discretion to establish a
maximum EDA investment rate of up to one-hundred percent where the
project: (i) Merits and is not otherwise feasible without an increase
to the EDA investment rate; or (ii) will be of no or only incidental
benefit to the recipient. See section 204(c)(3) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C.
3144) and 13 CFR 301.4(b)(4).
EDA will consider the nature of the contribution (cash or in-kind),
the amount of any matching share funds, and fairly assess any in-kind
contributions in evaluating the cost to the Government and the
feasibility of the project budget (see the ``Evaluation Criteria''
section below). While cash contributions are preferred, in-kind
contributions, fairly evaluated by EDA, may provide the non-Federal
share of the total project cost. See section 204(b) of PWEDA (42 U.S.C.
3144) and section III.B of the FFO announcement for this request for
applications. In-kind contributions, which may include assumptions of
debt and contributions of space, equipment, and services, are eligible
to be included as part of the non-Federal share of eligible project
costs if they meet applicable Federal cost principles and uniform
administrative requirements. Funds from other Federal financial
assistance awards are considered matching share funds only if
authorized by statute, which may be determined by EDA's reasonable
interpretation of the statute. See 13 CFR 300.3. The applicant must
show that the matching share is committed to the project for the entire
project period, will be available as needed, and is not conditioned or
encumbered in any way that precludes its use consistent with the
requirements of EDA investment assistance. See 13 CFR 301.5.
Intergovernmental Review: Applications under the Research and
Evaluation program are not subject to Executive Order 12372,
``Intergovernmental Review of Federal Programs.''
Application Review and Award Notification Information: To apply for
an award under this request for applications, an eligible applicant
must submit a completed application to EDA before the closing date and
time specified in the DATES section of this notice, and in the manner
provided in section IV of the applicable FFO announcement. Any
application received or transmitted, as the case may be, after 5 p.m.
Eastern Time on June 21, 2010, will not be considered for funding.
Applications that do not include all items required or that exceed the
page limitations set forth in section IV.B of the FFO announcement will
be considered non-responsive and will not be considered by the review
panel. A panel comprised of at least three EDA staff members, all of
whom will be full-time Federal employees, will be formed to review
applications using the evaluation criteria specified in this notice.
The review panel's rating and ranking of the applications will be
presented to the Assistant Secretary, who is the Selecting Official,
under this competitive solicitation. By September 15, 2010, EDA expects
to notify the applicant selected for investment assistance under this
notice.
Evaluation Criteria: The review panel will evaluate applications
and rate and rank them using the following criteria of approximate
equal weight:
(1) Conformance with EDA's statutory and regulatory requirements,
including the extent to which the proposed project satisfies the award
requirements set out below and as provided in 13 CFR 306.2:
Strengthens the capacity of local, State, or national
organizations and institutions to undertake and promote effective
economic development programs targeted to regions of distress;
Benefits distressed regions; and
Demonstrates innovative approaches to stimulate economic
development in distressed regions.
(2) The degree to which an EDA investment will have strong
organizational leadership, relevant project management experience, and
a significant commitment of human resources talent to ensure the
project's successful execution (see 13 CFR 301.8(b)). EDA recognizes
that the project scope of work under this competitive solicitation
requires diverse skills, and therefore will give preference to
consortia of organizations.
(3) The ability of the applicant to successfully implement the
proposed project (see 13 CFR 301.8).
(4) The feasibility of the budget presented.
(5) The cost to the Federal government.
(6) The inclusion of a plan to distribute the research and project
data to development practitioners through a project website that can be
accessed free of charge.
(7) The ability to complete key tasks within a timely manner.
(8) The inclusion of a solid plan for sustaining the project after
the EDA investment.
For purposes of this competitive solicitation, EDA will consider
applications submitted only by applicants with the current capacity to
undertake research that advances innovation in economic development
practice or theory, and that has the potential for impact on a regional
or national scale. See section 3 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3122) and 13 CFR
300.3 and 306.2.
Selection Factors: The Assistant Secretary, as the Selecting
Official, expects to fund the highest ranking application, as
recommended by the review panel, submitted under this competitive
solicitation. However, if EDA does not receive satisfactory
applications, the Assistant Secretary may not make any selection.
Depending on the quality of the applications received, the Assistant
Secretary may select more than one application. Also, the Assistant
Secretary may select an application out of rank order for the following
reasons: (1) A determination that the selected application better meets
the overall objectives of sections 2 and 207 of PWEDA (42 U.S.C. 3121
and 3147); (2) the applicant's performance under previous awards; or
(3) the availability of funds.
The Department of Commerce Pre-Award Notification Requirements for
Grants and Cooperative Agreements: Administrative and national policy
[[Page 27996]]
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
February 11, 2008 (73 FR 7696). This notice may be accessed at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/retrieve.html, making sure the radial button for
the correct Federal Register volume is selected (here, 2008 Federal
Register, Vol. 73), entering the Federal Register page number provided
in the previous sentence (7696), and clicking the ``Submit'' button.
Paperwork Reduction Act: This request for applications contains
collections of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork
Reduction Act (PRA). The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has
approved the use of Form ED-900 (Application for Investment Assistance)
under control number 0610-0094. Forms SF-424 (Application for Federal
Assistance); SF-424A (Budget Information--Non-Construction Programs),
and SF-424B (Assurances--Non-Construction Programs) are approved under
OMB control numbers 4040-0004, 4040-0006, and 4040-0007, 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 the 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, ``Regulatory
Planning and Review.''
Executive Order 13132: It has been determined that this notice does
not contain ``policies that have Federalism implications,'' as that
phrase 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: May 14, 2010.
Brian P. McGowan,
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development.
[FR Doc. 2010-11949 Filed 5-18-10; 8:45 am]
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