Solicitation of Applications for the Research and Evaluation Program: FY 2010 Mapping Regional Innovation Clusters Project Competition, 27992-27996 [2010-11949]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
• Economic Development Administration

[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 96 (Wednesday, May 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 27992-27996]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing 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 https://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  https://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 https://www.grants.gov or 
via e-mail may access the application package by following the 
instructions provided at https://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 https://www.grants.gov or via e-mail to Hillary Sherman-Zelenka 
at HSherman@eda.doc.gov. Applicants are encouraged to submit 
applications electronically at https://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 https://www.grants.gov. Applicants should 
save and print written proof of an electronic submission made at https://www.grants.gov. If problems occur, the applicant is advised to (a) 
print any error message received; and (b) call the https://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: https://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 https://www.grants.gov via e-mail at 
support@grants.gov 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 HSherman@eda.doc.gov (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 
https://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 https://www.statsamerica.org/innovation/), and (ii) West Virginia 
University's State Innovation Map (available at https://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  https://www.eda.gov.
    Electronic Access: The FFO announcement for the FY 2010 Mapping 
Regional Innovation Clusters Project competition is available at https://www.grants.gov and at https://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 
https://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

[[Page 27995]]

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

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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 https://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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