Notice of Funding Availability for the Small Business Transportation Resource Center Program, 42181-42187 [2010-17633]
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Notices
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request that the financial intermediary,
or its agent, forward the 19(a) Notice to
all beneficial owners of the Fund’s
shares held through such financial
intermediary; (b) will provide, in a
timely manner, to the financial
intermediary, or its agent, enough
copies of the 19(a) Notice assembled in
the form and at the place that the
financial intermediary, or its agent,
reasonably requests to facilitate the
financial intermediary’s sending of the
19(a) Notice to each beneficial owner of
the Fund’s shares; and (c) upon the
request of any financial intermediary, or
its agent, that receives copies of the
19(a) Notice, will pay the financial
intermediary, or its agent, the
reasonable expenses of sending the 19(a)
Notice to such beneficial owners.
5. Additional Board Determinations for
Funds Whose Shares Trade at a
Premium
If:
(a) The Fund’s common shares have
traded on the stock exchange that they
primarily trade on at the time in
question at an average premium to NAV
equal to or greater than 10%, as
determined on the basis of the average
of the discount or premium to NAV of
the Fund’s common shares as of the
close of each trading day over a 12-week
rolling period (each such 12-week
rolling period ending on the last trading
day of each week); and
(b) The Fund’s annualized
distribution rate for such 12-week
rolling period, expressed as a percentage
of NAV as of the ending date of such 12week rolling period, is greater than the
Fund’s average annual total return in
relation to the change in NAV over the
2-year period ending on the last day of
such 12-week rolling period; then:
(i) At the earlier of the next regularly
scheduled meeting or within four
months of the last day of such 12-week
rolling period, the Board, including a
majority of the Independent Trustees:
(1) Will request and evaluate, and the
Fund’s Investment Adviser will furnish,
such information as may be reasonably
necessary to make an informed
determination of whether the Plan
should be continued or continued after
amendment;
(2) Will determine whether
continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan is consistent
with the Fund’s investment objective(s)
and policies and in the best interests of
the Fund and its shareholders, after
considering the information in
condition 5(b)(i)(1) above, including,
without limitation:
(A) Whether the Plan is
accomplishing its purpose(s);
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(B) The reasonably foreseeable
material effects of the Plan on the
Fund’s long-term total return in relation
to the market price and NAV of the
Fund’s common shares; and
(C) The Fund’s current distribution
rate, as described in condition 5(b)
above, compared with the Fund’s
average annual taxable income or total
return over the 2-year period, as
described in condition 5(b), or such
longer period as the Board deems
appropriate; and
(3) Based upon that determination,
will approve or disapprove the
continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan; and
(ii) The Board will record the
information considered by it, including
its consideration of the factors listed in
condition 5(b)(i)(2) above, and the basis
for its approval or disapproval of the
continuation, or continuation after
amendment, of the Plan in its meeting
minutes, which must be made and
preserved for a period of not less than
six years from the date of such meeting,
the first two years in an easily accessible
place.
6. Public Offerings
The Fund will not make a public
offering of the Fund’s common shares
other than:
(a) A rights offering below NAV to
holders of the Fund’s common shares;
(b) An offering in connection with a
dividend reinvestment plan, merger,
consolidation, acquisition, spin-off or
reorganization of the Fund; or
(c) An offering other than an offering
described in conditions 6(a) and 6(b)
above, provided that, with respect to
such other offering:
(i) The Fund’s annualized distribution
rate for the six months ending on the
last day of the month ended
immediately prior to the most recent
distribution record date,4 expressed as a
percentage of NAV as of such date, is no
more than 1 percentage point greater
than the Fund’s average annual total
return for the 5-year period ending on
such date,5 and
(ii) The transmittal letter
accompanying any registration
statement filed with the Commission in
connection with such offering discloses
that the Fund has received an order
under section 19(b) to permit it to make
periodic distributions of long-term
capital gains with respect to its common
4 If the Fund has been in operation fewer than six
months, the measured period will begin
immediately following the Fund’s first public
offering.
5 If the Fund has been in operation fewer than five
years, the measured period will begin immediately
following the Fund’s first public offering.
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shares as frequently as twelve times
each year, and as frequently as
distributions are specified by or
determined in accordance with the
terms of any outstanding preferred
shares as such Fund may issue.
7. Amendments to Rule 19b–1
The requested order will expire on the
effective date of any amendment to rule
19b–1 that provides relief permitting
certain closed-end investment
companies to make periodic
distributions of long-term capital gains
with respect to their outstanding
common shares as frequently as twelve
times each year.
For the Commission, by the Division of
Investment Management, under delegated
authority.
Florence E. Harmon,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2010–17637 Filed 7–19–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010–01–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary of
Transportation
Notice of Funding Availability for the
Small Business Transportation
Resource Center Program
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of
Transportation (OST), Office of Small
and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
(OSDBU), Department of Transportation
(DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability.
SUMMARY: The Department of
Transportation (DOT), Office of the
Secretary (OST), Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization
(OSDBU) announces the opportunity
for: (1) Business centered communitybased organizations; (2) transportationrelated trade associations; (3) colleges
and universities; (4) community colleges
or; (5) chambers of commerce, registered
with the Internal Revenue Service as
501 C(6) or 501 C(3) tax-exempt
organizations, to compete for
participation in OSDBU’s Small
Business Transportation Resource
Center (SBTRC) program in the Gulf,
Great Lakes, and Mid Atlantic Regions.
The Southwest, South Atlantic,
Northwest, Northeast, Central,
Southeast, West Central, and Mid South
Atlantic Regions have been previously
competed in Fiscal Year 2010.
OSDBU will enter into Cooperative
Agreements with these organizations to
outreach to the small business
community in their designated region
and provide financial and technical
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Notices
assistance, business training programs,
such as, business assessment,
management training, counseling,
technical assistance, marketing and
outreach, and the dissemination of
information, to encourage and assist
small businesses to become better
prepared to compete for, obtain, and
manage DOT funded transportationrelated contracts and subcontracts at the
federal, state and local levels.
Throughout this notice, the term ‘‘small
business’’ will refer to: 8(a),
disadvantaged business enterprises
(DBE), women owned small business
(WOB), HubZone, service disabled
veteran owned business (SDVOB), and
veteran owned small business (VOSB).
Throughout this notice, ‘‘transportationrelated’’ is defined as the maintenance,
rehabilitation, restructuring,
improvement, or revitalization of any of
the nation’s modes of transportation.
Funding Opportunity Number:
USDOT–OST–OSDBU–SBTRC2010–3.
Catalog of Federal Domestic
Assistance (CFDA) Number: 20.910
Assistance to small and disadvantaged
businesses.
Type of Award: Cooperative
Agreement Grant.
Award Ceiling: $186,000.
Award Floor: $143,000.
Program Authority: DOT is authorized
under 49 U.S.C. 332(b)(4), (5) & (7) to
design and carry out programs to assist
small disadvantaged businesses in
getting transportation-related contracts
and subcontracts; develop support
mechanisms, including management
and technical services, that will enable
small disadvantaged businesses to take
advantage of those business
opportunities; and to make
arrangements to carry out the above
purposes.
DATES: Complete Proposals must be
electronically submitted to OSDBU via
e-mail on or before August 15, 2010, 5
p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Proposals
received after the deadline will be
considered non-responsive and will not
be reviewed. The applicant is advised to
turn on request delivery receipt
notification for e-mail submissions.
DOT plans to give notice of awards for
the competed regions on or before
August 27, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be
electronically submitted to OSDBU via
e-mail at SBTRC@dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further
information concerning this notice,
contact Mr. Arthur D. Jackson, U.S.
Department of Transportation, Office of
Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization, 1200 New Jersey Avenue,
SE., W56–462, Washington, DC 20590.
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Telephone: 1–800–532–1169. E-mail:
art.jackson@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Program Description and Goals
1.3 Description of Competition
1.4 Duration of Agreements
1.5 Authority
1.6 Eligibility Requirements
2. Program Requirements
2.1 Recipient Responsibilities
2.2 Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization Responsibilities
3. Submission of Proposals
3.1 Format for Proposals
3.2 Address, Number of Copies, Deadline
for Submission
4. Selection Criteria
4.1 General Criteria
4.2 Scoring of Applications
4.3 Conflicts of Interest
Format for Proposals—Appendix A
Full Text of Announcement
1. Introduction
1.1
Background
The United States Department of
Transportation (DOT) established the
Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization (OSDBU) in
accordance with Public Law 95–507, an
amendment to the Small Business Act
and the Small Business Investment Act
of 1958.
The mission of OSDBU at DOT is to
ensure that the small and disadvantaged
business policies and goals of the
Secretary of Transportation are
developed and implemented in a fair,
efficient and effective manner to serve
small and disadvantaged businesses
throughout the country. The OSDBU
also administers the provisions of Title
49, Section 332, the Minority Resource
Center (MRC) which includes the duties
of advocacy, outreach and financial
services on behalf of small and
disadvantaged business and those
certified under CFR 49 parts 23 and or
26 as Disadvantaged Business
Enterprises (DBE) and the development
of programs to encourage, stimulate,
promote and assist small businesses to
become better prepared to compete for,
obtain and manage transportationrelated contracts, and subcontracts.
The Regional Partnerships Division of
OSDBU, through the SBTRC program
allows OSDBU to partner with local
organizations to offer a comprehensive
delivery system of business training,
technical assistance and dissemination
of information, targeted towards small
business transportation enterprises in
their regions.
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1.2
Program Description and Goals
The national SBTRC program utilizes
Cooperative Agreements with chambers
of commerce, trade associations,
educational institutions and businesscentered community based
organizations to establish SBTRCs to
provide business training, technical
assistance and information to DOT
grantees and recipients, prime
contractors and subcontractors. In order
to be effective and serve their target
audience, the SBTRCs must be active in
the local transportation community in
order to identify and communicate
opportunities and provide the required
technical assistance. SBTRCs must
already have, or demonstrate the ability
to establish working relationships with
the state and local transportation
agencies and technical assistance
agencies (i.e., The U.S. Department of
Commerce’s Minority Business
Development Centers (MBDCs), Small
Business Development Centers (SBDCs),
Procurement Technical Assistance
Centers (PTACs), SCORE and State DOT
highway supportive services contractors
in their region. Utilizing these
relationships and their own expertise,
the SBTRCs are involved in activities
such as information dissemination,
small business counseling, and
technical assistance with small
businesses currently doing business
with public and private entities in the
transportation industry.
Effective outreach is critical to the
success of the SBTRC program. In order
for their outreach efforts to be effective,
SBTRCs must be familiar with DOT’s
Operating Administrations, its funding
sources, and how funding is awarded to
DOT grantees, recipients, contractors,
subcontractors, and its financial
assistance programs. SBTRCs must
outreach to the regional small business
transportation community to
disseminate information and distribute
DOT-published marketing materials,
such as STLP Program Information,
Bonding Assistance information, SBTRC
brochures and literature, Procurement
Forecasts; Contracting with DOT
booklets, and any other materials or
resources that DOT or OSDBU may
develop for this purpose. To maximize
outreach, the SBTRC may be called
upon to participate in regional and
national conferences and seminars.
Quantities of DOT publications for onhand inventory and dissemination at
conferences and seminars will be
available upon request from the OSDBU
office.
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1.3
Description of Competition
The purpose of this RFP is to solicit
proposals from transportation-related
trade associations, chambers of
commerce, community based entities,
colleges and universities, community
colleges, and any other qualifying
transportation-related non-profit
organizations with the desire and ability
to partner with OSDBU to establish and
maintain an SBTRC.
It is OSDBU’s intent to award
Cooperative Agreement to one
organization in each of the designated
geographical area(s), from herein
referred to as ‘‘region(s)’’, competed in
this solicitation. However, if warranted,
OSDBU reserves the option to make
multiple awards to selected partners.
Proposals submitted for a region must
contain a plan to service the entire
region, not just the SBTRC state or local
geographical area. The region’s SBTRC
headquarters must be established in the
designated state set forth below.
Submitted proposals must also contain
justification for the establishment of the
SBTRC headquarters in a particular city
within the designated state.
SBTRC Region(s) Competed in This
Solicitation:
Gulf Region: Texas, Headquarters,
Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico.
Great Lakes Region: Illinois,
Headquarters; Michigan, Indiana,
Wisconsin.
Mid-Atlantic Region: Pennsylvania,
Headquarters; Ohio, Maryland,
District of Columbia, Delaware.
Program requirements and selection
criteria, set forth in Sections 2 and 4
respectively, indicate, the OSDBU
intends for the SBTRC to be
multidimensional; that is, the selected
organizations must have the capacity to
effectively access and provide
supportive services to the broad range of
small businesses within the respective
geographical region. To this end, the
SBTRC must be able to demonstrate that
they currently have established
relationships within the geographic
region with whom they may coordinate
and establish effective networks with
DOT grant recipients and local/regional
technical assistance agencies to
maximize resources.
Cooperative agreement awards will be
distributed to the region(s) as follows:
Gulf Region—Up to $143,000 per year
Great Lakes Region—Up to $187,000
per year
Mid-Atlantic Region—Up to $183,000
per year
Cooperative agreement awards by
region are based upon an analysis of
DBEs, Certified Small Businesses, and
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U.S. DOT transportation dollars in each
region.
It is OSDBU’s intent to maximize the
benefits received by the small business
transportation community through the
SBTRC. Funding may be utilized to
reimburse an on-site Project Director up
to 100% of salary plus fringe benefits,
an on-site Executive Director up to 50%
of salary plus fringe benefits, the cost of
designated SBTRC space, other direct
costs, and all other general and
administrative expenses. Selected
SBTRC partners will be expected to
provide in-kind administrative support.
Submitted proposals must contain an
alternative funding source with which
the SBTRC will fund administrative
support costs. Preference will be given
to proposals containing in-kind
contributions for the Project Director,
the Executive Director, cost of
designated SBTRC space, other direct
costs, and all other general and
administrative expenses.
1.4
Duration of Agreements
Cooperative agreements will be
awarded for a period of 12 months (one
year) with options for two (2) additional
one year periods. OSDBU will notify the
SBTRC of our intention to exercise an
option year or not to exercise an option
year 30 days in advance of expiration of
the current year.
1.5
Authority
DOT is authorized under 49 U.S.C.
§ 332(b)(4), (5) & (7) to design and carry
out programs to assist small
disadvantaged businesses in getting
transportation-related contracts and
subcontracts; develop support
mechanisms, including management
and technical services, that will enable
small disadvantaged businesses to take
advantage of those business
opportunities; and to make
arrangements to carry out the above
purposes.
1.6
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, an organization must
be an established, nonprofit,
community-based organization,
transportation-related trade association,
chamber of commerce, college or
university, community college, and any
other qualifying transportation-related
non-profit organization which has the
documented experience and capacity
necessary to successfully operate and
administer a coordinated delivery
system that provides access for small
businesses to prepare and compete for
transportation-related contracts.
In addition, to be eligible, the
applicant organization must:
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42183
(A) Be an established 501 C(3) or 501
C(6) tax-exempt organization and
provide documentation as verification.
No application will be accepted without
proof of tax-exempt status;
(B) Have at least one year of
documented and continuous experience
prior to the date of application in
providing advocacy, outreach, and
technical assistance to small businesses
within the region in which proposed
services will be provided. Prior
performance providing services to the
transportation community is preferable,
but not required; and
(C) Have an office physically located
within the proposed city in the
designated headquarters state in the
region for which they are submitting the
proposal that is readily accessible to the
public.
2. Program Requirements
2.1
Recipient Responsibilities
(A) Assessments, Business Analyses
1. Conduct an assessment of small
businesses in the SBTRC region to
determine their training and technical
assistance needs, and use information
that is available at no cost to structure
programs and services that will enable
small business enterprises to become
better prepared to compete for and
receive transportation-related contract
awards.
2. Contact other federal, state and
local governmental agencies, such as the
U.S. Small Business Administration,
(SBA), state and local highway
departments, state and local airport
authorities, and transit authorities to
identify relevant and current
information that may support the
assessment of the regional small
business transportation community
needs.
(B) General Management and
Technical Training and Assistance
1. Utilize OSDBU’s Intake Form to
document each small business assisted
by the SBTRC and type of service(s)
provided. The completed form must be
transmitted electronically to the SBTRC
Program Manager on a monthly basis,
accompanied by a narrative report on
the activities and performance results
for that period. The data gathered must
be supportive by the narrative and must
relate to the numerical data on the
monthly reports.
2. Ensure that an array of information
is made available for distribution to the
small business transportation
community that is designed to inform
and educate the community on DOT/
OSDBU services and opportunities.
3. Coordinate efforts with OSDBU’s
National Information Clearinghouse in
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order to maintain an on-hand inventory
of DOT/OSDBU informational materials
for general dissemination and for
distribution at transportation-related
conferences and other events.
(C) Business Counseling
1. Collaborate with agencies, such as
the SBA, U.S. Department of
Commerce’s Minority Business
Development Centers (MBDCs), Service
Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE),
Procurement Technical Assistance
Centers (PTACs), and Small Business
Development Centers (SBDCs), to offer a
broad range of counseling services to
transportation-related small business
enterprises.
2. Create a technical assistance plan
that will provide each counseled
participant with the knowledge and
skills necessary to improve the
management of their own small
business to expand their transportationrelated contracts and subcontracts
portfolio.
3. Provide a minimum of 20 hours of
individual or group counseling sessions
to small businesses per month.
(D) Planning Committee
1. Establish a Regional Planning
Committee consisting of at least 7
members that includes representatives
from the regional community and
federal, state, and local agencies. The
highway, airport, and transit authorities
for the SBTRC’s headquarters state must
have representation on the planning
committee. This committee shall be
established no later than 60 days after
the execution of the Cooperative
agreement between the OSDBU and the
selected SBRTC.
2. Provide a forum for the federal,
state, and local agencies to disseminate
information about upcoming
procurements.
3. Hold either monthly or quarterly
meetings at a time and place agreed
upon by SBTRC and planning
committee members.
4. Use the initial session
(teleconference call) by the SBTRC
explain the mission of the committee
and identify roles of the staff and the
members of the group.
5. Responsibility for the agenda and
direction of the Planning Committee
should be handled by the SBTRC
Executive Director or his/her designee.
(E) Outreach Services/Conference
Participation
1. Utilize the services of the Central
Contractor Registration (CCR) and other
sources to construct a database of
regional small businesses that currently
or may participate in DOT direct and
DOT funded transportation related
contracts, and make this database
available to OSDBU, upon request.
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2. Utilize the database of regional
transportation-related small businesses
to match opportunities identified
through the planning committee forum,
FedBiz Opps, a web-based system for
posting solicitations and other Federal
procurement-related documents on the
Internet, and other sources to eligible
small businesses and contact the eligible
small businesses about those
opportunities.
3. Develop a ‘‘targeted’’ database of
firms (100–150) that have the capacity
and capabilities, and are ready, willing
and able to participate in DOT contracts
and subcontracts immediately. This
control group will receive ample
resources from the SBTRC, i.e., access to
working capital, bonding assistance,
business counseling, management
assistance and direct referrals to DOT
agencies at the state and local levels,
and to prime contractors as effective
subcontractor firms.
4. Identify regional, state and local
conferences where a significant number
of small businesses, with transportation
related capabilities, are expected to be
in attendance. Maintain and submit a
list of those events to the SBTRC
Program Manager for review and for
posting on the OSDBU Web site on a
monthly basis. Clearly identify the
events designated for SBTRC
participation and include
recommendations for OSDBU
participation.
5. Conduct outreach and disseminate
information to small businesses at
regional transportation-related
conferences, seminars, and workshops.
In the event that the SBTRC is requested
to participate in an event, the SBTRC
will send DOT materials, the OSDBU
banner and other information that is
deemed necessary for the event.
6. Submit a conference summary
report to OSDBU no later than 5
business days after participation in the
event or conference. The conference
summary report must summarize
activities, contacts, outreach results, and
recommendations for continued or
discontinued participation in future
similar events sponsored by that
organization.
7. Upon approval by OSDBU,
coordinate efforts with DOT’s grantees
and recipients at the state and/or local
levels to sponsor or cosponsor an
OSDBU transportation related
conference in the region.
(F) Loan and Bond Assistance
1. Work with STLP participating
banks and if not available, other lending
institutions, to deliver a minimum of
five (5) seminars/workshops per year on
the STLP financial assistance program
to the transportation-related small
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business community. The seminar/
workshop must cover the entire STLP
process, from completion of STLP loan
applications and preparation of the loan
package to graduation from the STLP.
2. Provide direct support, technical
support, and advocacy services to
potential STLP applicants to increase
the probability of STLP loan approval
and generate a minimum of 5 approved
STLP applications per year.
3. Work with local bond producers/
agents in your region to deliver a
minimum of five (5) seminars/
workshops to DBEs on the DOT ARRA
BAP and how the Reimbursable Fee
Program works. A minimum of 10 DBE
firms per workshop should participate.
4. Provide direct support, technical
support, and advocacy services to
potential Disadvantaged Business
Enterprise American Reinvestment and
Recovery Act of 2009 Bonding
Assistance Reimbursable Fee Program
(DBE ARRA BAP) applicants to increase
the probability of reimbursement
approval and generate a minimum of 5
approved DBE ARRA BAP applications
until September 8, 2010 or until notice
of cessation in the event the program is
extended.
5. Provide direct support, technical
support, and advocacy services to
potential Provide direct support,
technical support, and advocacy
services to potential Bonding Assistance
Program (BAP) applicants to increase
the probability of guaranteed bond
approval and generate a minimum of 5
approved BAP applications per year
from inception of the BAP program.
(G) Furnish all labor, facilities and
equipment to perform the services
described in this announcement
2.2 Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization (OSDBU)
Responsibilities
(A) Provide consultation and
technical assistance in planning,
implementing and evaluating activities
under this announcement.
(B) Provide orientation and training to
the applicant organization.
(C) Monitor SBTRC activities,
cooperative agreement compliance, and
overall SBTRC performance.
(D) Assist SBTRC to develop or
strengthen its relationships with federal,
state, and local transportation
authorities, other technical assistance
organizations, and DOT grantees.
(E) Facilitate the exchange and
transfer of successful program activities
and information among all SBTRC
regions.
(F) Provide the SBTRC with DOT/
OSDBU materials and other relevant
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transportation-related information for
dissemination.
(G) Maintain effective communication
with the SBTRC and inform them of
transportation news and contracting
opportunities to share with small
businesses in their region.
(H) Provide all required forms to be
used by the SBTRC for reporting
purposes under the program.
(I) Perform an annual performance
evaluation of the SBTRC. Satisfactory
performance is a condition of continued
participation of the organization as an
SBTRC and execution of all option
years.
3. Submission of Proposals
3.1
Format for Proposals
Each proposal must be submitted to
DOT’s OSDBU in the format set forth in
the application form attached as
Appendix A to this announcement.
3.2 Address; Number of Copies;
Deadlines for Submission
Any eligible organization, as defined
in Section 1.6 of this announcement,
will submit only one proposal per
region for consideration by OSDBU.
Eligible organizations may submit
proposals for multiple regions.
Applications must be double spaced,
and printed in a font size not smaller
than 12 points. Applications will not
exceed 35 single-sided pages, not
including any requested attachments.
All pages should be numbered at the
top of each page. All documentation,
attachments, or other information
pertinent to the application must be
included in a single submission.
Grant application packages must be
submitted electronically to OSDBU at
SBTRC@dot.gov. The applicant is
advised to turn on request delivery
receipt notification for e-mail
submissions.
Proposals must be received by DOT/
OSDBU no later than August 13, 2010
5 p.m., EST.
4. Selection Criteria
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4.1
General Criteria
OSDBU will award the cooperative
agreement on a best value basis, using
the following criteria to rate and rank
applications:
Applications will be evaluated using
a point system (maximum number of
points = 100);
• Approach and strategy (25 points)
• Linkages (25 points)
• Organizational Capability (25
points)
• Staff Capabilities and Experience
(15 points)
• Cost Proposal (10 points)
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(A) Approach and Strategy (25 Points)
The applicant must describe their
strategy to achieve the overall mission
of the SBTRC as described in this
solicitation and service the small
business community in their entire
geographic regional area. The applicant
must also describe how the specific
activities outlined in Section 2.1 will be
implemented and executed in the
organization’s regional area. OSDBU
will consider the extent to which the
proposed objectives are specific,
measurable, time-specific, and
consistent with OSDBU goals and the
applicant organization’s overall mission.
OSDBU will give priority consideration
to applicants that demonstrate
innovation and creativity in their
approach to assist small businesses to
become successful transportation
contractors and increase their ability to
access DOT contracting opportunities
and financial assistance programs.
Applicants must also submit the
estimated direct costs, other than labor,
to execute their proposed strategy.
OSDBU will consider the quality of the
applicant’s plan for conducting program
activities and the likelihood that the
proposed methods will be successful in
achieving proposed objectives at the
proposed cost.
(B) Linkages (25 Points)
The applicant must describe their
established relationships within their
geographic region and demonstrate their
ability to coordinate and establish
effective networks with DOT grant
recipients and local/regional technical
assistance agencies to maximize
resources. OSDBU will consider
innovative aspects of the applicant’s
approach and strategy to build upon
their existing relationships and
established networks with existing
resources in their geographical area. The
applicant should describe their strategy
to obtain support and collaboration on
SBTRC activities from DOT grantees and
recipients, transportation prime
contractors and subcontractors, the
SBA, U.S. Department of Commerce’s
Minority Business Development Centers
(MBDCs), Service Corps of Retired
Executives (SCORE), Procurement
Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs),
Small Business Development Centers
(SBDCs), State DOTs, and State highway
supportive services contractors. In
rating this factor, OSDBU will consider
the extent to which the applicant
demonstrates ability to be
multidimensional. The applicant must
demonstrate that they have the ability to
access a broad range of supportive
services to effectively serve a broad
range of transportation-related small
businesses within their respective
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geographical region. Emphasis will also
be placed on the extent to which the
applicant identifies a clear outreach
strategy related to identified needs that
can be successfully carried out within
the period of this agreement and a plan
for involving the Planning Committee in
the execution of that strategy.
(C) Organizational Capability (25
Points)
The applicant must demonstrate that
they have the organizational capability
to meet the program requirements set
forth in Section 2. The applicant
organization must have sufficient
resources and past performance
experience to successfully outreach to
the small business transportation
resources in their geographical area and
carry out the mission of the SBTRC. In
rating this factor, OSDBU will consider
the extent to which the applicant’s
organization has recent, relevant and
successful experience in advocating for
and addressing the needs of small
businesses. Applicants will be given
points for demonstrated past
transportation-related performance. The
applicant must also describe technical
and administrative resources it plans to
use in achieving proposed objectives. In
their description, the applicant must
describe their facilities, computer and
technical facilities, ability to tap into
volunteer staff time, and a plan for
sufficient matching alternative financial
resources to fund the general and
administrative costs of the SBTRC. The
applicant must also describe their
administrative and financial
management staff. OSDBU will place an
emphasis on capabilities of the
applicant’s financial management staff.
(D) Staff Capability and Experience
(15 Points)
The applicant organization must
provide a list of proposed personnel for
the project, with salaries, fringe benefit
burden factors, educational levels and
previous experience clearly delineated.
The applicant’s project team must be
well-qualified, knowledgeable, and able
to effectively serve the diverse and
broad range of small businesses in their
geographical region. The Executive
Director and the Project Director shall
be deemed key personnel. Detailed
resumes must be submitted for all
proposed key personnel and outside
consultants and subcontractors.
Proposed key personnel must have
detailed demonstrated experience
providing services similar in scope and
nature to the proposed effort. The
proposed Project Director will serve as
the responsible individual for the
program. 100% of the Project Director’s
time must be dedicated to the SBTRC.
Both the Executive Director and the
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Notices
Project Director must be located on-site.
In this element, OSDBU will consider
the extent to which the applicant’s
proposed Staffing Plan; (a) clearly meets
the education and experience
requirements to accomplish the
objectives of the cooperative agreement;
(b) delineates staff responsibilities and
accountability for all work required and;
(c) presents a clear and feasible ability
to execute the applicant’s proposed
approach and strategy.
(E) Cost Proposal (10 Points)
Applicants must submit the total
proposed cost of establishing and
administering the SBTRC in the
applicant’s geographical region for a 12
month period, inclusive of costs funded
through alternative matching resources.
The applicant’s budget must be
adequate to support the proposed
strategy and costs must be reasonable in
relation to project objectives. The
portion of the submitted budget funded
by OSDBU can not exceed the ceiling
outlined in Section 1.3 Description of
Competition per fiscal year. Applicants
are encouraged to provide in-kind costs
and other innovative cost approaches.
4.2
Scoring of Applications
A review panel will score each
application based upon the evaluation
criteria listed above. Points will be
given for each evaluation criteria
category, not to exceed the maximum
number of points allowed for each
category. Proposals which are deemed
non-responsive, do not meet the
established criteria, or incomplete at the
time of submission will be disqualified.
OSDBU will perform a responsibility
determination of the prospective
winning recipient in each region, which
may include a site visit, before awarding
the cooperative agreement.
4.3
Conflicts of Interest
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Applicants must submit signed
statements by key personnel and all
organization principals indicating that
they, or members of their immediate
families, do not have a personal,
business or financial interest in any
DOT-funded transportation projects, nor
any relationships with local or state
transportation agencies that may have
the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Appendix A
Format for Proposals for the Department of
Transportation Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization’s Small
Business Transportation Resource Center
(SBTRC) Program
Submitted proposals for the DOT, Office of
Small and Disadvantaged Business
Utilization’s Small Business Transportation
Resource Center Program must contain the
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following 12 sections and be organized in the
following order:
1. Table of Contents
Identify all parts, sections and attachments
of the application.
2. Application Summary
Provide a summary overview of the
following:
• The applicant’s proposed SBTRC region
and city and key elements of the plan of
action/strategy to achieve the SBTRC
objectives.
• The applicant’s relevant organizational
experience and capabilities.
3. Understanding of the Work
Provide a narrative which contains specific
project information as follows:
• The applicant will describe its
understanding of the OSDBU’s SBTRC
program mission and the role of the
applicant’s proposed SBTRC in advancing
the program goals.
• The applicant will describe specific
outreach needs of transportation-related
small businesses in the applicant’s region
and how the SBTRC will address the
identified needs.
4. Approach and Strategy
• Describe the applicant’s plan of action/
strategy for conducting the program in terms
of the tasks to be performed.
• Describe the specific services or
activities to be performed and how these
services/activities will be implemented.
• Describe innovative and creative
approaches to assist small businesses to
become successful transportation contractors
and increase their ability to access DOT
contracting opportunities and financial
assistance programs.
• Estimated direct costs, other than labor,
to execute the proposed strategy.
5. Linkages
• Describe established relationships within
the geographic region and demonstrate the
ability to coordinate and establish effective
networks with DOT grant recipients and
local/regional technical assistance agencies.
• Describe the strategy to obtain support
and collaboration on SBTRC activities from
DOT grantees and recipients, transportation
prime contractors and subcontractors, the
SBA, U.S. Department of Commerce’s
Minority Business Development Centers
(MBDCs), Service Corps of Retired Executives
(SCORE), Procurement Technical Assistance
Centers (PTACs), Small Business
Development Centers (SBDCs), State DOTs,
and State highway supportive services
contractors.
• Describe the outreach strategy related to
the identified needs that can be successfully
carried out within the period of this
agreement and a plan for involving the
Planning Committee in the execution of that
strategy.
6. Organizational Capability
• Describe recent and relevant past
successful performance in addressing the
needs of small businesses, particularly with
respect to transportation-related small
businesses.
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• Describe internal technical, financial
management, and administrative resources.
• Propose a plan for sufficient matching
alternative financial resources to fund the
general and administrative costs of the
SBTRC.
7. Staff Capability and Experience
• List proposed key personnel, their
salaries and proposed fringe benefit factors.
• Describe the education, qualifications
and relevant experience of key personnel.
Attach detailed resumes.
• Proposed staffing plan. Describe how
personnel are to be organized for the program
and how they will be used to accomplish
program objectives. Outline staff
responsibilities, accountability and a
schedule for conducting program tasks.
8. Cost Proposal
• Outline the total proposed cost of
establishing and administering the SBTRC in
the applicant’s geographical region for a 12
month period, inclusive of costs funded
through alternative matching resources.
Clearly identify the portion of the costs
funded by OSDBU.
• Provide a brief narrative linking the cost
proposal to the proposed strategy.
9. Proof of Tax Exempt Status
10. Assurances Signature Form
Complete Standard Form 424B
ASSURANCES–NON–CONSTRUCTION
PROGRAMS identified as Attachment 1.
SF424B may be downloaded from https://
www.grants.gov/techlib/SF424B–V1.1.pdf.
11. Certification Signature Forms
Complete form DOTF2307–1 DRUG–FREE
WORKPLACE ACT CERTIFICATION FOR A
GRANTEE OTHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL
and Form DOTF2308–1 CERTIFICATION
REGARDING LOBBYING FOR CONTRACTS,
GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE
AGREEMENTS identified as Attachment 2.
The forms may be downloaded from https://
www.osdbu.dot.gov/financial/docs/Cert
Drug-Free DOT F 2307-1.pdf and https://
www.osdbu.dot.gov/financial/docs/Cert
Lobbying DOT F 2308-1.pdf.
12. Signed Conflict of Interest Statements
The statements must say that they, or
members of their immediate families, do not
have a personal, business or financial interest
in any DOT-funded transportation projects,
nor any relationships with local or state
transportation agencies that may have the
appearance of a conflict of interest.
13. Standard Form 424
Complete Standard Form 424 Application
for Federal Assistance identified as
Attachment 3. SF424 can be downloaded
from https://www.grants.gov/techlib/SF424V2.0.pdf.
PLEASE BE SURE THAT ALL FORMS
HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED
OFFICIAL WHO CAN LEGALLY
REPRESENT THE ORGANIZATION.
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Federal Register / Vol. 75, No. 138 / Tuesday, July 20, 2010 / Notices
Issued in Washington, DC on July 13, 2010.
Brandon Neal,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged
Business Utilization, Office of the Secretary,
U.S. Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2010–17633 Filed 7–19–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–9X–P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Aviation Administration
[Summary Notice No. PE–2010–31]
Petition for Exemption; Summary of
Petition Received
AGENCY: Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA), DOT.
ACTION: Notice of petition for exemption
received.
wwoods2 on DSK1DXX6B1PROD with NOTICES_PART 1
SUMMARY: This notice contains a
summary of a petition seeking relief
from specified requirements of 14 CFR.
The purpose of this notice is to improve
the public’s awareness of, and
participation in, this aspect of FAA’s
regulatory activities. Neither publication
of this notice nor the inclusion or
omission of information in the summary
is intended to affect the legal status of
the petition or its final disposition.
DATE: Comments on this petition must
identify the petition docket number
involved and must be received on or
before August 9, 2010.
ADDRESSES: You may send comments
identified by Docket Number FAA–
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15:23 Jul 19, 2010
Jkt 220001
2008–0348 using any of the following
methods:
• Government-wide rulemaking Web
site: Go to https://www.regulations.gov
and follow the instructions for sending
your comments electronically.
• Mail: Send comments to the Docket
Management Facility; U.S. Department
of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., West Building Ground
Floor, Room W12–140, Washington, DC
20590.
• Fax: Fax comments to the Docket
Management Facility at 202–493–2251.
• Hand Delivery: Bring comments to
the Docket Management Facility in
Room W12–140 of the West Building
Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
Privacy: We will post all comments
we receive, without change, to https://
www.regulations.gov, including any
personal information you provide.
Using the search function of our docket
web site, anyone can find and read the
comments received into any of our
dockets, including the name of the
individual sending the comment (or
signing the comment for an association,
business, labor union, etc.). You may
review DOT’s complete Privacy Act
Statement in the Federal Register
published on April 11, 2000 (65 FR
19477–78).
Docket: To read background
documents or comments received, go to
https://www.regulations.gov at any time
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42187
or to the Docket Management Facility in
Room W12–140 of the West Building
Ground Floor at 1200 New Jersey
Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between
9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Kenna Sinclair, ANM–113, (425) 227–
1556, Federal Aviation Administration,
1601 Lind Avenue, SW, Renton, WA
98057–3356, or Katherine Haley, (202)
493–5708, Office of Rulemaking (ARM–
203), Federal Aviation Administration,
800 Independence Avenue, SW.,
Washington, DC 20591.
This notice is published pursuant to
14 CFR 11.85.
Issued in Washington, DC, on July 15,
2010.
Pamela Hamilton-Powell,
Director, Office of Rulemaking.
Petition for Exemption
Docket No.: FAA–2008–0348.
Petitioner: The Boeing Company.
Section of 14 CFR Affected: Sections
25.783(g), 25.8057(a)(1), 25.809(a) and
25.813(a).
14 CFR Part 25.
Description of Relief Sought: Boeing
requests an amendment to an existing
exemption to allow the main deck entry
door of the Model 747–8F airplane to be
used for access to the upper deck
supernumerary seating area.
[FR Doc. 2010–17638 Filed 7–19–10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910–13–P
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]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 138 (Tuesday, July 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 42181-42187]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-17633]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary of Transportation
Notice of Funding Availability for the Small Business
Transportation Resource Center Program
AGENCY: Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST), Office of
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), Department of
Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice of Funding Availability.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the
Secretary (OST), Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
(OSDBU) announces the opportunity for: (1) Business centered community-
based organizations; (2) transportation-related trade associations; (3)
colleges and universities; (4) community colleges or; (5) chambers of
commerce, registered with the Internal Revenue Service as 501 C(6) or
501 C(3) tax-exempt organizations, to compete for participation in
OSDBU's Small Business Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) program
in the Gulf, Great Lakes, and Mid Atlantic Regions. The Southwest,
South Atlantic, Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southeast, West Central,
and Mid South Atlantic Regions have been previously competed in Fiscal
Year 2010.
OSDBU will enter into Cooperative Agreements with these
organizations to outreach to the small business community in their
designated region and provide financial and technical
[[Page 42182]]
assistance, business training programs, such as, business assessment,
management training, counseling, technical assistance, marketing and
outreach, and the dissemination of information, to encourage and assist
small businesses to become better prepared to compete for, obtain, and
manage DOT funded transportation-related contracts and subcontracts at
the federal, state and local levels. Throughout this notice, the term
``small business'' will refer to: 8(a), disadvantaged business
enterprises (DBE), women owned small business (WOB), HubZone, service
disabled veteran owned business (SDVOB), and veteran owned small
business (VOSB). Throughout this notice, ``transportation-related'' is
defined as the maintenance, rehabilitation, restructuring, improvement,
or revitalization of any of the nation's modes of transportation.
Funding Opportunity Number: USDOT-OST-OSDBU-SBTRC2010-3.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 20.910
Assistance to small and disadvantaged businesses.
Type of Award: Cooperative Agreement Grant.
Award Ceiling: $186,000.
Award Floor: $143,000.
Program Authority: DOT is authorized under 49 U.S.C. 332(b)(4), (5)
& (7) to design and carry out programs to assist small disadvantaged
businesses in getting transportation-related contracts and
subcontracts; develop support mechanisms, including management and
technical services, that will enable small disadvantaged businesses to
take advantage of those business opportunities; and to make
arrangements to carry out the above purposes.
DATES: Complete Proposals must be electronically submitted to OSDBU via
e-mail on or before August 15, 2010, 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Proposals received after the deadline will be considered non-responsive
and will not be reviewed. The applicant is advised to turn on request
delivery receipt notification for e-mail submissions. DOT plans to give
notice of awards for the competed regions on or before August 27, 2010.
ADDRESSES: Applications must be electronically submitted to OSDBU via
e-mail at SBTRC@dot.gov.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information concerning this
notice, contact Mr. Arthur D. Jackson, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization,
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., W56-462, Washington, DC 20590. Telephone:
1-800-532-1169. E-mail: art.jackson@dot.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
1.2 Program Description and Goals
1.3 Description of Competition
1.4 Duration of Agreements
1.5 Authority
1.6 Eligibility Requirements
2. Program Requirements
2.1 Recipient Responsibilities
2.2 Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
Responsibilities
3. Submission of Proposals
3.1 Format for Proposals
3.2 Address, Number of Copies, Deadline for Submission
4. Selection Criteria
4.1 General Criteria
4.2 Scoring of Applications
4.3 Conflicts of Interest
Format for Proposals--Appendix A
Full Text of Announcement
1. Introduction
1.1 Background
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) established
the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU) in
accordance with Public Law 95-507, an amendment to the Small Business
Act and the Small Business Investment Act of 1958.
The mission of OSDBU at DOT is to ensure that the small and
disadvantaged business policies and goals of the Secretary of
Transportation are developed and implemented in a fair, efficient and
effective manner to serve small and disadvantaged businesses throughout
the country. The OSDBU also administers the provisions of Title 49,
Section 332, the Minority Resource Center (MRC) which includes the
duties of advocacy, outreach and financial services on behalf of small
and disadvantaged business and those certified under CFR 49 parts 23
and or 26 as Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) and the
development of programs to encourage, stimulate, promote and assist
small businesses to become better prepared to compete for, obtain and
manage transportation-related contracts, and subcontracts.
The Regional Partnerships Division of OSDBU, through the SBTRC
program allows OSDBU to partner with local organizations to offer a
comprehensive delivery system of business training, technical
assistance and dissemination of information, targeted towards small
business transportation enterprises in their regions.
1.2 Program Description and Goals
The national SBTRC program utilizes Cooperative Agreements with
chambers of commerce, trade associations, educational institutions and
business-centered community based organizations to establish SBTRCs to
provide business training, technical assistance and information to DOT
grantees and recipients, prime contractors and subcontractors. In order
to be effective and serve their target audience, the SBTRCs must be
active in the local transportation community in order to identify and
communicate opportunities and provide the required technical
assistance. SBTRCs must already have, or demonstrate the ability to
establish working relationships with the state and local transportation
agencies and technical assistance agencies (i.e., The U.S. Department
of Commerce's Minority Business Development Centers (MBDCs), Small
Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Procurement Technical Assistance
Centers (PTACs), SCORE and State DOT highway supportive services
contractors in their region. Utilizing these relationships and their
own expertise, the SBTRCs are involved in activities such as
information dissemination, small business counseling, and technical
assistance with small businesses currently doing business with public
and private entities in the transportation industry.
Effective outreach is critical to the success of the SBTRC program.
In order for their outreach efforts to be effective, SBTRCs must be
familiar with DOT's Operating Administrations, its funding sources, and
how funding is awarded to DOT grantees, recipients, contractors,
subcontractors, and its financial assistance programs. SBTRCs must
outreach to the regional small business transportation community to
disseminate information and distribute DOT-published marketing
materials, such as STLP Program Information, Bonding Assistance
information, SBTRC brochures and literature, Procurement Forecasts;
Contracting with DOT booklets, and any other materials or resources
that DOT or OSDBU may develop for this purpose. To maximize outreach,
the SBTRC may be called upon to participate in regional and national
conferences and seminars. Quantities of DOT publications for on-hand
inventory and dissemination at conferences and seminars will be
available upon request from the OSDBU office.
[[Page 42183]]
1.3 Description of Competition
The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from
transportation-related trade associations, chambers of commerce,
community based entities, colleges and universities, community
colleges, and any other qualifying transportation-related non-profit
organizations with the desire and ability to partner with OSDBU to
establish and maintain an SBTRC.
It is OSDBU's intent to award Cooperative Agreement to one
organization in each of the designated geographical area(s), from
herein referred to as ``region(s)'', competed in this solicitation.
However, if warranted, OSDBU reserves the option to make multiple
awards to selected partners. Proposals submitted for a region must
contain a plan to service the entire region, not just the SBTRC state
or local geographical area. The region's SBTRC headquarters must be
established in the designated state set forth below. Submitted
proposals must also contain justification for the establishment of the
SBTRC headquarters in a particular city within the designated state.
SBTRC Region(s) Competed in This Solicitation:
Gulf Region: Texas, Headquarters, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico.
Great Lakes Region: Illinois, Headquarters; Michigan, Indiana,
Wisconsin.
Mid-Atlantic Region: Pennsylvania, Headquarters; Ohio, Maryland,
District of Columbia, Delaware.
Program requirements and selection criteria, set forth in Sections
2 and 4 respectively, indicate, the OSDBU intends for the SBTRC to be
multidimensional; that is, the selected organizations must have the
capacity to effectively access and provide supportive services to the
broad range of small businesses within the respective geographical
region. To this end, the SBTRC must be able to demonstrate that they
currently have established relationships within the geographic region
with whom they may coordinate and establish effective networks with DOT
grant recipients and local/regional technical assistance agencies to
maximize resources.
Cooperative agreement awards will be distributed to the region(s)
as follows:
Gulf Region--Up to $143,000 per year
Great Lakes Region--Up to $187,000 per year
Mid-Atlantic Region--Up to $183,000 per year
Cooperative agreement awards by region are based upon an analysis
of DBEs, Certified Small Businesses, and U.S. DOT transportation
dollars in each region.
It is OSDBU's intent to maximize the benefits received by the small
business transportation community through the SBTRC. Funding may be
utilized to reimburse an on-site Project Director up to 100% of salary
plus fringe benefits, an on-site Executive Director up to 50% of salary
plus fringe benefits, the cost of designated SBTRC space, other direct
costs, and all other general and administrative expenses. Selected
SBTRC partners will be expected to provide in-kind administrative
support. Submitted proposals must contain an alternative funding source
with which the SBTRC will fund administrative support costs. Preference
will be given to proposals containing in-kind contributions for the
Project Director, the Executive Director, cost of designated SBTRC
space, other direct costs, and all other general and administrative
expenses.
1.4 Duration of Agreements
Cooperative agreements will be awarded for a period of 12 months
(one year) with options for two (2) additional one year periods. OSDBU
will notify the SBTRC of our intention to exercise an option year or
not to exercise an option year 30 days in advance of expiration of the
current year.
1.5 Authority
DOT is authorized under 49 U.S.C. Sec. 332(b)(4), (5) & (7) to
design and carry out programs to assist small disadvantaged businesses
in getting transportation-related contracts and subcontracts; develop
support mechanisms, including management and technical services, that
will enable small disadvantaged businesses to take advantage of those
business opportunities; and to make arrangements to carry out the above
purposes.
1.6 Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible, an organization must be an established, nonprofit,
community-based organization, transportation-related trade association,
chamber of commerce, college or university, community college, and any
other qualifying transportation-related non-profit organization which
has the documented experience and capacity necessary to successfully
operate and administer a coordinated delivery system that provides
access for small businesses to prepare and compete for transportation-
related contracts.
In addition, to be eligible, the applicant organization must:
(A) Be an established 501 C(3) or 501 C(6) tax-exempt organization
and provide documentation as verification. No application will be
accepted without proof of tax-exempt status;
(B) Have at least one year of documented and continuous experience
prior to the date of application in providing advocacy, outreach, and
technical assistance to small businesses within the region in which
proposed services will be provided. Prior performance providing
services to the transportation community is preferable, but not
required; and
(C) Have an office physically located within the proposed city in
the designated headquarters state in the region for which they are
submitting the proposal that is readily accessible to the public.
2. Program Requirements
2.1 Recipient Responsibilities
(A) Assessments, Business Analyses
1. Conduct an assessment of small businesses in the SBTRC region to
determine their training and technical assistance needs, and use
information that is available at no cost to structure programs and
services that will enable small business enterprises to become better
prepared to compete for and receive transportation-related contract
awards.
2. Contact other federal, state and local governmental agencies,
such as the U.S. Small Business Administration, (SBA), state and local
highway departments, state and local airport authorities, and transit
authorities to identify relevant and current information that may
support the assessment of the regional small business transportation
community needs.
(B) General Management and Technical Training and Assistance
1. Utilize OSDBU's Intake Form to document each small business
assisted by the SBTRC and type of service(s) provided. The completed
form must be transmitted electronically to the SBTRC Program Manager on
a monthly basis, accompanied by a narrative report on the activities
and performance results for that period. The data gathered must be
supportive by the narrative and must relate to the numerical data on
the monthly reports.
2. Ensure that an array of information is made available for
distribution to the small business transportation community that is
designed to inform and educate the community on DOT/OSDBU services and
opportunities.
3. Coordinate efforts with OSDBU's National Information
Clearinghouse in
[[Page 42184]]
order to maintain an on-hand inventory of DOT/OSDBU informational
materials for general dissemination and for distribution at
transportation-related conferences and other events.
(C) Business Counseling
1. Collaborate with agencies, such as the SBA, U.S. Department of
Commerce's Minority Business Development Centers (MBDCs), Service Corps
of Retired Executives (SCORE), Procurement Technical Assistance Centers
(PTACs), and Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), to offer a
broad range of counseling services to transportation-related small
business enterprises.
2. Create a technical assistance plan that will provide each
counseled participant with the knowledge and skills necessary to
improve the management of their own small business to expand their
transportation-related contracts and subcontracts portfolio.
3. Provide a minimum of 20 hours of individual or group counseling
sessions to small businesses per month.
(D) Planning Committee
1. Establish a Regional Planning Committee consisting of at least 7
members that includes representatives from the regional community and
federal, state, and local agencies. The highway, airport, and transit
authorities for the SBTRC's headquarters state must have representation
on the planning committee. This committee shall be established no later
than 60 days after the execution of the Cooperative agreement between
the OSDBU and the selected SBRTC.
2. Provide a forum for the federal, state, and local agencies to
disseminate information about upcoming procurements.
3. Hold either monthly or quarterly meetings at a time and place
agreed upon by SBTRC and planning committee members.
4. Use the initial session (teleconference call) by the SBTRC
explain the mission of the committee and identify roles of the staff
and the members of the group.
5. Responsibility for the agenda and direction of the Planning
Committee should be handled by the SBTRC Executive Director or his/her
designee.
(E) Outreach Services/Conference Participation
1. Utilize the services of the Central Contractor Registration
(CCR) and other sources to construct a database of regional small
businesses that currently or may participate in DOT direct and DOT
funded transportation related contracts, and make this database
available to OSDBU, upon request.
2. Utilize the database of regional transportation-related small
businesses to match opportunities identified through the planning
committee forum, FedBiz Opps, a web-based system for posting
solicitations and other Federal procurement-related documents on the
Internet, and other sources to eligible small businesses and contact
the eligible small businesses about those opportunities.
3. Develop a ``targeted'' database of firms (100-150) that have the
capacity and capabilities, and are ready, willing and able to
participate in DOT contracts and subcontracts immediately. This control
group will receive ample resources from the SBTRC, i.e., access to
working capital, bonding assistance, business counseling, management
assistance and direct referrals to DOT agencies at the state and local
levels, and to prime contractors as effective subcontractor firms.
4. Identify regional, state and local conferences where a
significant number of small businesses, with transportation related
capabilities, are expected to be in attendance. Maintain and submit a
list of those events to the SBTRC Program Manager for review and for
posting on the OSDBU Web site on a monthly basis. Clearly identify the
events designated for SBTRC participation and include recommendations
for OSDBU participation.
5. Conduct outreach and disseminate information to small businesses
at regional transportation-related conferences, seminars, and
workshops. In the event that the SBTRC is requested to participate in
an event, the SBTRC will send DOT materials, the OSDBU banner and other
information that is deemed necessary for the event.
6. Submit a conference summary report to OSDBU no later than 5
business days after participation in the event or conference. The
conference summary report must summarize activities, contacts, outreach
results, and recommendations for continued or discontinued
participation in future similar events sponsored by that organization.
7. Upon approval by OSDBU, coordinate efforts with DOT's grantees
and recipients at the state and/or local levels to sponsor or cosponsor
an OSDBU transportation related conference in the region.
(F) Loan and Bond Assistance
1. Work with STLP participating banks and if not available, other
lending institutions, to deliver a minimum of five (5) seminars/
workshops per year on the STLP financial assistance program to the
transportation-related small business community. The seminar/workshop
must cover the entire STLP process, from completion of STLP loan
applications and preparation of the loan package to graduation from the
STLP.
2. Provide direct support, technical support, and advocacy services
to potential STLP applicants to increase the probability of STLP loan
approval and generate a minimum of 5 approved STLP applications per
year.
3. Work with local bond producers/agents in your region to deliver
a minimum of five (5) seminars/workshops to DBEs on the DOT ARRA BAP
and how the Reimbursable Fee Program works. A minimum of 10 DBE firms
per workshop should participate.
4. Provide direct support, technical support, and advocacy services
to potential Disadvantaged Business Enterprise American Reinvestment
and Recovery Act of 2009 Bonding Assistance Reimbursable Fee Program
(DBE ARRA BAP) applicants to increase the probability of reimbursement
approval and generate a minimum of 5 approved DBE ARRA BAP applications
until September 8, 2010 or until notice of cessation in the event the
program is extended.
5. Provide direct support, technical support, and advocacy services
to potential Provide direct support, technical support, and advocacy
services to potential Bonding Assistance Program (BAP) applicants to
increase the probability of guaranteed bond approval and generate a
minimum of 5 approved BAP applications per year from inception of the
BAP program.
(G) Furnish all labor, facilities and equipment to perform the
services described in this announcement
2.2 Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU)
Responsibilities
(A) Provide consultation and technical assistance in planning,
implementing and evaluating activities under this announcement.
(B) Provide orientation and training to the applicant organization.
(C) Monitor SBTRC activities, cooperative agreement compliance, and
overall SBTRC performance.
(D) Assist SBTRC to develop or strengthen its relationships with
federal, state, and local transportation authorities, other technical
assistance organizations, and DOT grantees.
(E) Facilitate the exchange and transfer of successful program
activities and information among all SBTRC regions.
(F) Provide the SBTRC with DOT/OSDBU materials and other relevant
[[Page 42185]]
transportation-related information for dissemination.
(G) Maintain effective communication with the SBTRC and inform them
of transportation news and contracting opportunities to share with
small businesses in their region.
(H) Provide all required forms to be used by the SBTRC for
reporting purposes under the program.
(I) Perform an annual performance evaluation of the SBTRC.
Satisfactory performance is a condition of continued participation of
the organization as an SBTRC and execution of all option years.
3. Submission of Proposals
3.1 Format for Proposals
Each proposal must be submitted to DOT's OSDBU in the format set
forth in the application form attached as Appendix A to this
announcement.
3.2 Address; Number of Copies; Deadlines for Submission
Any eligible organization, as defined in Section 1.6 of this
announcement, will submit only one proposal per region for
consideration by OSDBU. Eligible organizations may submit proposals for
multiple regions.
Applications must be double spaced, and printed in a font size not
smaller than 12 points. Applications will not exceed 35 single-sided
pages, not including any requested attachments.
All pages should be numbered at the top of each page. All
documentation, attachments, or other information pertinent to the
application must be included in a single submission.
Grant application packages must be submitted electronically to
OSDBU at SBTRC@dot.gov. The applicant is advised to turn on request
delivery receipt notification for e-mail submissions.
Proposals must be received by DOT/OSDBU no later than August 13,
2010 5 p.m., EST.
4. Selection Criteria
4.1 General Criteria
OSDBU will award the cooperative agreement on a best value basis,
using the following criteria to rate and rank applications:
Applications will be evaluated using a point system (maximum number
of points = 100);
Approach and strategy (25 points)
Linkages (25 points)
Organizational Capability (25 points)
Staff Capabilities and Experience (15 points)
Cost Proposal (10 points)
(A) Approach and Strategy (25 Points)
The applicant must describe their strategy to achieve the overall
mission of the SBTRC as described in this solicitation and service the
small business community in their entire geographic regional area. The
applicant must also describe how the specific activities outlined in
Section 2.1 will be implemented and executed in the organization's
regional area. OSDBU will consider the extent to which the proposed
objectives are specific, measurable, time-specific, and consistent with
OSDBU goals and the applicant organization's overall mission. OSDBU
will give priority consideration to applicants that demonstrate
innovation and creativity in their approach to assist small businesses
to become successful transportation contractors and increase their
ability to access DOT contracting opportunities and financial
assistance programs. Applicants must also submit the estimated direct
costs, other than labor, to execute their proposed strategy. OSDBU will
consider the quality of the applicant's plan for conducting program
activities and the likelihood that the proposed methods will be
successful in achieving proposed objectives at the proposed cost.
(B) Linkages (25 Points)
The applicant must describe their established relationships within
their geographic region and demonstrate their ability to coordinate and
establish effective networks with DOT grant recipients and local/
regional technical assistance agencies to maximize resources. OSDBU
will consider innovative aspects of the applicant's approach and
strategy to build upon their existing relationships and established
networks with existing resources in their geographical area. The
applicant should describe their strategy to obtain support and
collaboration on SBTRC activities from DOT grantees and recipients,
transportation prime contractors and subcontractors, the SBA, U.S.
Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Centers (MBDCs),
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), Procurement Technical
Assistance Centers (PTACs), Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs),
State DOTs, and State highway supportive services contractors. In
rating this factor, OSDBU will consider the extent to which the
applicant demonstrates ability to be multidimensional. The applicant
must demonstrate that they have the ability to access a broad range of
supportive services to effectively serve a broad range of
transportation-related small businesses within their respective
geographical region. Emphasis will also be placed on the extent to
which the applicant identifies a clear outreach strategy related to
identified needs that can be successfully carried out within the period
of this agreement and a plan for involving the Planning Committee in
the execution of that strategy.
(C) Organizational Capability (25 Points)
The applicant must demonstrate that they have the organizational
capability to meet the program requirements set forth in Section 2. The
applicant organization must have sufficient resources and past
performance experience to successfully outreach to the small business
transportation resources in their geographical area and carry out the
mission of the SBTRC. In rating this factor, OSDBU will consider the
extent to which the applicant's organization has recent, relevant and
successful experience in advocating for and addressing the needs of
small businesses. Applicants will be given points for demonstrated past
transportation-related performance. The applicant must also describe
technical and administrative resources it plans to use in achieving
proposed objectives. In their description, the applicant must describe
their facilities, computer and technical facilities, ability to tap
into volunteer staff time, and a plan for sufficient matching
alternative financial resources to fund the general and administrative
costs of the SBTRC. The applicant must also describe their
administrative and financial management staff. OSDBU will place an
emphasis on capabilities of the applicant's financial management staff.
(D) Staff Capability and Experience (15 Points)
The applicant organization must provide a list of proposed
personnel for the project, with salaries, fringe benefit burden
factors, educational levels and previous experience clearly delineated.
The applicant's project team must be well-qualified, knowledgeable, and
able to effectively serve the diverse and broad range of small
businesses in their geographical region. The Executive Director and the
Project Director shall be deemed key personnel. Detailed resumes must
be submitted for all proposed key personnel and outside consultants and
subcontractors. Proposed key personnel must have detailed demonstrated
experience providing services similar in scope and nature to the
proposed effort. The proposed Project Director will serve as the
responsible individual for the program. 100% of the Project Director's
time must be dedicated to the SBTRC. Both the Executive Director and
the
[[Page 42186]]
Project Director must be located on-site. In this element, OSDBU will
consider the extent to which the applicant's proposed Staffing Plan;
(a) clearly meets the education and experience requirements to
accomplish the objectives of the cooperative agreement; (b) delineates
staff responsibilities and accountability for all work required and;
(c) presents a clear and feasible ability to execute the applicant's
proposed approach and strategy.
(E) Cost Proposal (10 Points)
Applicants must submit the total proposed cost of establishing and
administering the SBTRC in the applicant's geographical region for a 12
month period, inclusive of costs funded through alternative matching
resources. The applicant's budget must be adequate to support the
proposed strategy and costs must be reasonable in relation to project
objectives. The portion of the submitted budget funded by OSDBU can not
exceed the ceiling outlined in Section 1.3 Description of Competition
per fiscal year. Applicants are encouraged to provide in-kind costs and
other innovative cost approaches.
4.2 Scoring of Applications
A review panel will score each application based upon the
evaluation criteria listed above. Points will be given for each
evaluation criteria category, not to exceed the maximum number of
points allowed for each category. Proposals which are deemed non-
responsive, do not meet the established criteria, or incomplete at the
time of submission will be disqualified.
OSDBU will perform a responsibility determination of the
prospective winning recipient in each region, which may include a site
visit, before awarding the cooperative agreement.
4.3 Conflicts of Interest
Applicants must submit signed statements by key personnel and all
organization principals indicating that they, or members of their
immediate families, do not have a personal, business or financial
interest in any DOT-funded transportation projects, nor any
relationships with local or state transportation agencies that may have
the appearance of a conflict of interest.
Appendix A
Format for Proposals for the Department of Transportation Office of
Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization's Small Business
Transportation Resource Center (SBTRC) Program
Submitted proposals for the DOT, Office of Small and
Disadvantaged Business Utilization's Small Business Transportation
Resource Center Program must contain the following 12 sections and
be organized in the following order:
1. Table of Contents
Identify all parts, sections and attachments of the application.
2. Application Summary
Provide a summary overview of the following:
The applicant's proposed SBTRC region and city and key
elements of the plan of action/strategy to achieve the SBTRC
objectives.
The applicant's relevant organizational experience and
capabilities.
3. Understanding of the Work
Provide a narrative which contains specific project information
as follows:
The applicant will describe its understanding of the
OSDBU's SBTRC program mission and the role of the applicant's
proposed SBTRC in advancing the program goals.
The applicant will describe specific outreach needs of
transportation-related small businesses in the applicant's region
and how the SBTRC will address the identified needs.
4. Approach and Strategy
Describe the applicant's plan of action/strategy for
conducting the program in terms of the tasks to be performed.
Describe the specific services or activities to be
performed and how these services/activities will be implemented.
Describe innovative and creative approaches to assist
small businesses to become successful transportation contractors and
increase their ability to access DOT contracting opportunities and
financial assistance programs.
Estimated direct costs, other than labor, to execute
the proposed strategy.
5. Linkages
Describe established relationships within the
geographic region and demonstrate the ability to coordinate and
establish effective networks with DOT grant recipients and local/
regional technical assistance agencies.
Describe the strategy to obtain support and
collaboration on SBTRC activities from DOT grantees and recipients,
transportation prime contractors and subcontractors, the SBA, U.S.
Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Centers
(MBDCs), Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), Procurement
Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), Small Business Development
Centers (SBDCs), State DOTs, and State highway supportive services
contractors.
Describe the outreach strategy related to the
identified needs that can be successfully carried out within the
period of this agreement and a plan for involving the Planning
Committee in the execution of that strategy.
6. Organizational Capability
Describe recent and relevant past successful
performance in addressing the needs of small businesses,
particularly with respect to transportation-related small
businesses.
Describe internal technical, financial management, and
administrative resources.
Propose a plan for sufficient matching alternative
financial resources to fund the general and administrative costs of
the SBTRC.
7. Staff Capability and Experience
List proposed key personnel, their salaries and
proposed fringe benefit factors.
Describe the education, qualifications and relevant
experience of key personnel. Attach detailed resumes.
Proposed staffing plan. Describe how personnel are to
be organized for the program and how they will be used to accomplish
program objectives. Outline staff responsibilities, accountability
and a schedule for conducting program tasks.
8. Cost Proposal
Outline the total proposed cost of establishing and
administering the SBTRC in the applicant's geographical region for a
12 month period, inclusive of costs funded through alternative
matching resources. Clearly identify the portion of the costs funded
by OSDBU.
Provide a brief narrative linking the cost proposal to
the proposed strategy.
9. Proof of Tax Exempt Status
10. Assurances Signature Form
Complete Standard Form 424B ASSURANCES-NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS
identified as Attachment 1. SF424B may be downloaded from https://www.grants.gov/techlib/SF424B-V1.1.pdf.
11. Certification Signature Forms
Complete form DOTF2307-1 DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE ACT CERTIFICATION
FOR A GRANTEE OTHER THAN AN INDIVIDUAL and Form DOTF2308-1
CERTIFICATION REGARDING LOBBYING FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND
COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS identified as Attachment 2. The forms may be
downloaded from https://www.osdbu.dot.gov/financial/docs/Cert Drug-
Free DOT F 2307-1.pdf and https://www.osdbu.dot.gov/financial/docs/Cert Lobbying DOT F 2308-1.pdf.
12. Signed Conflict of Interest Statements
The statements must say that they, or members of their immediate
families, do not have a personal, business or financial interest in
any DOT-funded transportation projects, nor any relationships with
local or state transportation agencies that may have the appearance
of a conflict of interest.
13. Standard Form 424
Complete Standard Form 424 Application for Federal Assistance
identified as Attachment 3. SF424 can be downloaded from https://www.grants.gov/techlib/SF424-V2.0.pdf.
PLEASE BE SURE THAT ALL FORMS HAVE BEEN SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED
OFFICIAL WHO CAN LEGALLY REPRESENT THE ORGANIZATION.
[[Page 42187]]
Issued in Washington, DC on July 13, 2010.
Brandon Neal,
Director, Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization,
Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of Transportation.
[FR Doc. 2010-17633 Filed 7-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-9X-P
