[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 59 (Monday, March 29, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15413-15415]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-6969]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Minority Business Development Agency
Notice of the Establishment of a National Advisory Council on
Minority Business Enterprise and the Solicitation of Nominations for
Membership
AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Commerce.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: In accordance with the provisions of the Federal Advisory
Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and with the concurrence of
the General Services Administration, the Department of Commerce is
announcing the establishment of the National Advisory Council on
Minority Business Enterprise (NACMBE). Pursuant to this notice, the
Department of Commerce is also soliciting nominations for membership on
the NACMBE for the upcoming 2-year charter term beginning in April
2010. The purpose of the NACMBE is to advise the Secretary of Commerce
(Secretary) on key issues pertaining to the growth and competitiveness
of the nation's Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs).
DATES: Complete nomination packages for NACMBE membership must be
received by the Department of Commerce on or before May 3, 2010, at 5
p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).
ADDRESSES: Nomination packages may be submitted through the mail or may
be submitted electronically. Interested persons are encouraged to
submit nominations electronically. The deadline is the same for
nominations submitted through the mail and for nominations submitted
electronically.
1. Submission by Mail: Nominations sent by mail should be addressed
to the U.S. Department of Commerce, Minority Business Development
Agency, Office of Legislative, Education and Intergovernmental Affairs,
Attn: Stephen Boykin, 1401 Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 5063,
Washington, DC 20230. Applicants are advised that the Department of
Commerce's receipt of mail sent via the United States Postal Service
may be substantially delayed or suspended in delivery due to security
measures. Applicants may therefore wish to use a guaranteed overnight
delivery service to ensure nomination packages are received by the
Department of Commerce by the deadline set forth in this notice.
2. Electronic Submission: Nomination sent electronically should be
addressed to: [email protected].
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Please include ``NACMBE Nomination'' in the title of the e-mail.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Stephen Boykin, MBDA Office of
Legislative, Education and Intergovernmental Affairs, at (202) 482-1712
or by e-mail at: [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: Pursuant to Executive Order
11625, as amended, the Department of Commerce, through the Minority
Business Development Agency (MBDA), is charged with promoting the
growth and competitiveness of the nation's minority business
enterprise. NACMBE is being established in the Department of Commerce
as a discretionary advisory committee in accordance with the provisions
of the Federal Advisory Committee Act, as amended, 5 U.S.C. App. 2, and
with the concurrence of the General Services Administration. The NACMBE
will be administered primarily by MBDA.
MBEs make a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy,
generating $661 billion in total gross receipts in 2002 and employing
approximately 4.7 million people with an annual payroll totaling $115
billion. This represented only 7.5 percent of the total gross receipts
generated by all U.S. businesses (excluding publicly-held firms),
notwithstanding that in 2002 the adult minority population represented
29 percent of the total U.S. adult population. However, if MBEs were to
generate total gross receipts in relation to the current minority
population, the U.S. economy would benefit from an estimated additional
$1.8 trillion in annual gross receipts and 11.4 million new jobs. MBEs
also have the potential to contribute significantly to the balance of
trade as they are twice as likely to generate sales through exports
compared to non-minority firms.
Obstacles such as access to capital, access to markets and access
to business and social networks, all of which are essential for any
businesses to increase in size and scale, continue to impede the growth
and competiveness of MBEs. Unless these obstacles are addressed, the
MBE community will continue to lag behind their non-minority
counterparts undermining the nation's ability to regain its economic
footing and to build a sustainable economy.
Objectives and Scope of Activities: NACMBE will advise the
Secretary on key issues pertaining to the growth and competitiveness of
the nation's MBEs, as defined in Executive Order 11625, as amended, and
15 CFR 1400.1. NACMBE will provide advice and recommendations on a
broad range of policy issues that affect minority businesses and their
ability to successfully access the domestic and global marketplace.
These policy issues may include, but are not limited to:
Methods for increasing jobs in the health care,
manufacturing, technology, and ``green'' industries;
Global and domestic barriers and impediments;
Global and domestic business opportunities;
MBE capacity building;
Institutionalizing global business curriculums at colleges
and universities and facilitating the entry of MBEs into such programs;
Identifying and leveraging pools of capital for MBEs;
Methods for creating high value loan pools geared toward
MBEs with size, scale and capacity;
Strategies for collaboration amongst minority chambers,
trade associations and nongovernmental organizations;
Accuracy, availability and frequency of economic data
concerning minority businesses;
Methods for increasing global transactions with entities
such as but not limited to the Export-Import Bank, OPIC and the IMF;
and
Requirements for a uniform and reciprocal MBE
certification program.
The advice and recommendations provided by NACMBE may take the form
of one or more written reports. NACMBE will also serve as a vehicle for
an ongoing dialogue with the MBE community and with other stakeholders.
The Secretary has determined that the establishment of NACMBE is
necessary and in the public interest in connection with MBDA's duties
and responsibilities in advancing the growth and competitiveness of
MBEs pursuant to Executive Order 11625, as amended.
Membership: NACMBE shall be composed of not more than 25 members.
The NACMBE members shall be distinguished individuals from the
nonfederal sector appointed by the Secretary. The members shall be
recognized leaders in their respective fields of endeavor and shall
possess the necessary knowledge and experience to provide advice and
recommendations on a broad range of policy issues that impact the
ability of MBEs to successfully participate in the domestic and global
marketplace. NACMBE shall have a balanced membership reflecting a
diversity of industries, ethnic backgrounds and geographical regions,
and to the extent practicable, gender and persons with disabilities.
NACMBE members shall be appointed as Special Government Employees
for a two-year term and shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.
Members may be re-appointed to additional two-year terms, without
limitation. The Secretary may designate a member or members to serve as
the Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson(s) of NACMBE. The Chairperson or
Vice-Chairperson(s) shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary.
NACMBE members will serve without compensation, but will be allowed
reimbursement for reasonable travel expenses, including a per diem in
lieu of subsistence, as authorized by 5 U.S.C. 5703, as amended, for
persons serving intermittently in Federal government service. NACMBE
members will serve in a solely advisory capacity.
Eligibility. In addition to the above criterion, eligibility for
NACMBE membership is limited to U.S. citizens who are not full-time
employees of the Federal Government, are not registered with the U.S.
Department of Justice under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and are
not a Federally-registered lobbyists pursuant to the Lobbying
Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended, at the time of appointment to the
NACMBE.
Nomination Procedures and Selection of Members: The Department of
Commerce is accepting nominations for NACMBE membership for the
upcoming 2-year charter term beginning in April 2010. Members shall
serve until the NACMBE charter expires in April 2012, although members
may be re-appointed by the Secretary without limitation. Nominees will
be evaluated consistent with the factors specified in this notice and
their ability to successfully carryout the goals of the NACMBE.
For consideration, a nominee must submit the following materials:
(1) Resume, (2) personal statement of interest, including a summary of
how the nominee's experience and expertise would support the NACMBE
objectives; (3) an affirmative statement that the nominee is not
required to register as a foreign agent under the Foreign Agents
Registration Act of 1938, as amended, and (4) an affirmative statement
that: (a) The nominee is not currently a Federally-registered lobbyist
and will not be a Federally-registered lobbyist at the time of
appointment and during his/her tenure as a NACMBE member, or (b) if the
nominee is currently a Federally-registered lobbyist, that the nominee
will no longer be a Federally-registered lobbyist at the time of
appointment to the NACMBE and during his/her tenure as a NACMBE member.
All nomination information should be provided in a single, complete
package by the deadline specified in this notice. Nominations packages
should be
[[Page 15415]]
submitted by either mail or electronically, but not by both methods.
Self-nominations will be accepted.
NACMBE Members will be selected in accordance with applicable
Department of Commerce guidelines and in a manner that ensures that
NACMBE has a balanced membership. In this respect, the Secretary seeks
to appoint members who represent a diversity of industries, ethnic
backgrounds and geographical regions, and to the extent practicable,
gender and persons with disabilities.
All appointments shall be made without discrimination on the basis
of age, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or cultural,
religious, or socioeconomic status. All appointments shall also be made
without regard to political affiliations.
Dated: March 23, 2010.
David A. Hinson,
National Director, Minority Business Development Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010-6969 Filed 3-26-10; 8:45 am]
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