[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 44 (Monday, March 7, 2011)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 12273-12274]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-5118]
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SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
13 CFR Part 124
RIN 3245-AF53
8(a) Business Development Program Regulation Changes; Tribal
Consultation
AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration
ACTION: Notice of tribal consultation meeting; request for comments.
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SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA or Agency)
announces that it is holding a tribal consultation meeting in Las
Vegas, Nevada to discuss the recent changes to the 8(a) Business
Development (BD) program regulations and take general comments on 8(a)
BD program provisions. Additionally, SBA will take comments on the
mandatory reporting of community benefits of provision 13 CFR 124.604.
Testimony presented at this tribal consultation meeting will become
part of the administrative record for SBA's consideration when the
Agency deliberates on approaches to tracking community benefits.
DATES: The tribal consultation meeting will be held on Thursday, March
17, 2011 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Reservation Economic Summit (RES)
Conference in the Las Vegas Hilton, Las Vegas, Nevada.
The tribal consultation meeting pre-registration deadline date is
March 10, 2011 at 5 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
ADDRESSES:
1. The Las Vegas Tribal Consultation Meeting address is the Las
Vegas Hilton, 3000 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109.
2. Send pre-registration requests to attend and/or testify to Mr.
Marcus Grignon, Office of Native American Affairs, U.S. Small Business
Administration, 409 Third Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416; by e-mail
to [email protected]; or by facsimile to (202) 481-6386.
3. Send all written comments to Ms. LaTanya Wright, Senior Advisor,
Office of Business Development, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409
3rd Street, SW., Washington, DC 20416; [email protected] or by facsimile
to (202) 481-2740.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: If you have questions on SBA's Final
Rule
[[Page 12274]]
for the 8(a) BD Program, call or e-mail LaTanya Wright, Senior Advisor,
Office of Business Development, at (202) 205-5852, or
[email protected]. If you have questions about registering or
attending the tribal consultation, please contact Mr. Marcus Grignon at
(202) 401-1455, or [email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Background
On February 11, 2011 (74 FR 55694) SBA issued a Final Rule,
publicly available at http://frwebgate1.access.gpo.gov/cgibin/TEXTgate.cgi?WAISdocID=kkdLxk/1/1/0&WAISaction=retrieve. In that
document, SBA made changes to the 8(a) BD Program regulations, its
small business size regulations and regulations affecting Small
Disadvantaged Businesses (SDBs). Some of the changes involve technical
issues. Other changes are more substantive and result from SBA's
experience in implementing 8(a) BD Program regulations. One such change
is the addition of reporting requirements 8(a) Participants.
Specifically, the final rule requires those 8(a) Participants owned by
ANCs, tribes, NHOs, and CDCs to submit overall information relating to
how 8(a) participation has benefited the tribal or native members and/
or the tribal, native or other community as part of each Participant's
annual review submissions, including information about funding cultural
programs, employment assistance, jobs, scholarships, internships,
subsistence activities, and other services to the affected community.
SBA received several comments recommending it delay implementation
of any reporting of benefits requirement to allow affected firms to
gather and synthesize this data. In addition, these commenters
encouraged SBA to establish a task force, comprised of native leaders
and SBA, to further study how this requirement could be best
implemented without imposing an undue burden on tribes, ANCs, NHOs or
CDCs, or on their affected 8(a) Participants. SBA agreed and delayed
implementation of new Sec. 124.604 for six months after the effective
date for the other provisions of the final rule. These tribal
consultations are for the purpose of developing best practices for
collecting and utilizing the data. SBA expects that two Participants
owned by the same tribe, ANC, NHO or CDC will submit identical data
describing the benefits provided by the tribe, ANC, NHO or CDC.
II. Tribal Consultation Meeting
The purpose of this tribal consultation meeting is to conform to
the requirements of Executive Order 13175, ``Consultation and
Coordination with Indian Tribal Governments''; to provide interested
parties with an opportunity to discuss the 8(a) BD Program regulatory
changes; and for SBA to obtain the comments of SBA's stakeholders on
approaches to tracking community benefits. In addition to general oral
and written comments about 8(a) BD program provisions, SBA is
requesting oral and written comments on approaches to tracking
community benefits as required by the 8(a) BD Program regulations. SBA
considers tribal consultation meetings a valuable component of its
deliberations and believes that this tribal consultation meeting will
allow for constructive dialogue with the tribal community, Tribal
Leaders, Elders and elected members of Alaska Native Villages or their
appointed representatives.
The format of this tribal consultation meeting will consist of a
panel of SBA representatives who will preside over the session. The
oral and written testimony will become part of the administrative
record for SBA's consideration. Written testimony may be submitted in
lieu of oral testimony.
SBA will analyze the testimony, both oral and written, along with
any written comments received. SBA officials may ask questions of a
presenter to clarify or further explain the testimony. The purpose of
the tribal consultation is to discuss changes to the 8(a) BD Program
with the tribal community, Tribal Leaders, Elders and elected members
of Alaska Native Villages or their appointed representatives and to
seek their comments on approaches to tracking community benefits. SBA
requests that the comments focus on the new regulatory changes as
stated in the Agency's Final Rule. SBA requests that commenters not
raise issues pertaining to other SBA small business programs.
Presenters may provide a written copy of their testimony. SBA will
accept written material that the presenter wishes to provide that
further supplements his or her testimony. Electronic or digitized
copies are encouraged.
The tribal consultation meeting will be held for two hours. The
meeting will begin at 1 p.m. and end at 3 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time).
SBA will adjourn early if all those scheduled have delivered their
testimony.
III. Registration
SBA respectfully requests that an elected or appointed
representative of the tribal communities that are interested in
attending please pre-register in advance and indicate whether you would
like to testify at the hearing. Registration requests should be
received by SBA by March 10, 2011 at 5 p.m. (Eastern Standard Time).
Please contact Mr. Marcus Grignon in SBA's Office of Native American
Affairs in writing at [email protected] or by facsimile at (202)
481-2740.
If you are interested in testifying, please include the following
information relating to the person testifying: Name, Organization
affiliation, Address, Telephone number, E-mail address and Fax number.
SBA will attempt to accommodate all interested parties who wish to
present testimony. Based on the number of registrants, it may be
necessary to impose time limits to ensure that everyone who wishes to
testify has the opportunity to do so. SBA will confirm in writing the
registration of presenters and attendees.
IV. Information on Service for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the tribal
consultation meeting, contact Mr. Marcus Grignon at the telephone
number or e-mail address indicated under the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
CONTACT section of this notice.
Authority: 15 U.S.C. 632, 634(b)(6), 636(b), 637(a), 644 and
662(5); Pub. L. 105-135, sec. 401 et seq., 111 Stat. 2592; and, E.O.
13175, 65 FR 67249.
Dated: March 2, 2011.
Clara Pratte,
National Director for the Office of Native American Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2011-5118 Filed 3-4-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8025-01-P