Announcement of Startup in a Day Competition-Start Small Model, 33579-33582 [2015-14347]

Download as PDF mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 113 / Friday, June 12, 2015 / Notices Æ Paper Size: 8.5 x 11 with threequarter (.75) inch margins on all sides. Æ Font and Font Size: Calibri, 11 point. 4. Prizes for Winners: SBA will award up to $250,000 and up to two (2) prizes under this announcement to cities and Native American Communities that are selected as winners. Because the subject of this competition is not just the development of online tools to streamline the business startup process, but also the implementation and improvement of such tools, prizes will be disbursed in three payments. The first payment, equal to 60 percent of a winner’s total prize amount, will be disbursed once all initial requirements (i.e. taking the Startup in a Day pledge, etc.) have been met. The second payment, equal to 20 percent of a winner’s total prize amount, will be disbursed after a winner has presented a demonstration of its open source solution to SBA and Agency staff has deemed that solution satisfactory. This demonstration must be presented within six (6) months of the date of the award unless otherwise specified by the SBA. The remaining 20 percent of the total prize amount will be disbursed after a winner submits a written assessment that includes, but is not limited to, the outcomes and outputs of its Startup in a Day activities as measured by the metrics outlined in its proposal, a summary of any lessons learned and best practices, and suggestions for any improvements to the design or implementation of similar competitions in the future. Winners must base this assessment on a period of live operation of their Startup in a Day Web tools that is at least six (6) months and no more than twelve (12) months in length. Regardless of the length of the period of operation on which they are based, the written assessment must be submitted to SBA no later than 15 months after a winner receives its first prize payment. The written assessments, or portions thereof, may be made public. Further guidance regarding the format and means of submission of these assessments will be provided to winners prior to their acceptance of prizes. All prizes will be paid via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) and winners will be required to create an account in the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to receive their prizes. 5. Selection of Winners: Competition entries will be evaluated by a review committee that may be comprised of SBA officials, employees of other Federal agencies, and/or private sector experts. Winners will be selected based VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Jun 11, 2015 Jkt 235001 on the quality, clarity, completeness, and feasibility of their proposals in addressing the issues outlined in Item 3 of this Competition announcement. In addition, in order to achieve nationwide distribution of prizes for the purpose of assisting business startups across the entire United States, SBA may take into account contestants’ geographic locations and areas of service when selecting winners. For the announcement of winners, any travel or related expenses to attend an event will be the responsibility of the winner and may not be paid with prize funds. 6. Applicable Law: This Competition is being conducted by SBA pursuant to the America Competes Act (15 U.S.C. 3719) and is subject to all applicable federal laws and regulations. By participating in this Competition, each contestant gives its full and unconditional agreement to the Official Rules and the related administrative decisions described in this notice, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Competition. A contestant’s eligibility for a prize award is contingent upon their fulfilling all requirements identified in this notice. Publication of this notice is not an obligation of funds on the part of SBA. SBA reserves the right to modify or cancel this Competition, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the award of prizes. 7. Conflicts of Interest: No individual acting as a judge at any stage of this Competition may have personal or financial interests in, or be an employee, officer, director, or agent of any contestant or have a familial or financial relationship with a contestant. 8. Intellectual Property Rights: All entries submitted in response to this Challenge will remain the sole intellectual property of the individuals or organizations that developed them. By registering and entering a submission, each contestant represents and warrants that it is the sole author and copyright owner of the submission, and that the submission is an original work of the contestant, or if the submission is a work based on an existing application, that the contestant has acquired sufficient rights to use and to authorize others to use the submission, and that the submission does not infringe upon any copyright or upon any other third party rights of which the contestant is aware. 9. Publicity Rights: By registering and entering a submission, each contestant consents to SBA’s and its agents’ use, in perpetuity, of its name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, and/or hometown and state information for promotional or informational purposes PO 00000 Frm 00105 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 33579 through any form of media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. 10. Liability and Insurance Requirements: By registering and entering a submission, each contestant agrees to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the Federal Government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in this Competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise. By registering and entering a submission, each contestant further represents and warrants that it possesses sufficient liability insurance or financial resources to cover claims by a third party for death, bodily injury, or property damage or loss resulting from any activity it carries out in connection with its participation in this Competition, or claims by the Federal Government for damage or loss to Government property resulting from such an activity. Competition winners should be prepared to demonstrate proof of insurance or financial responsibility in the event SBA deems it necessary. 11. Record Retention and Disclosure: All submissions and related materials provided to SBA in the course of this Competition automatically become SBA records and cannot be returned. Contestants should identify any confidential commercial information contained in their entries at the time of their submission. Award Approving Official: Christopher L. James, Associate Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW., Washington, DC 20416. Authority: 15 U.S.C.§ 3719. Dated: June 8, 2015. Christopher L. James, Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration. [FR Doc. 2015–14340 Filed 6–11–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8025–01–P SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Announcement of Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model U.S. Small Business Administration. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces the 2015 Startup in a Day Competition— Start Small Model, pursuant to the SUMMARY: E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM 12JNN1 33580 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 113 / Friday, June 12, 2015 / Notices America Competes Act, to spur the development, implementation, and improvement of online tools that will let entrepreneurs learn about the business startup process in their area, including how to register and apply for all required local licenses and permits—all in one day or less. DATES: The submission period for entries begins 12:00 p.m. EDT, June 11, 2015 and ends July 13, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Winners will be announced no later than August 31, 2015. ADDRESSES: For further information, please contact the U.S. Small Business Administration, Startup in a Day—IGA, 409 Third Street SW., Washington, DC 20416, (202) 205–7364, startup@sba.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES Competition Details 1. Subject of Competition: The SBA is seeking to support entrepreneurs who are navigating the requirements to start a business. Currently many of these requirements are in multiple locations and a streamlined approach could help entrepreneurs startup more easily. The Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model is designed to spur the development, implementation, and improvement of online tools that will let entrepreneurs learn about the business startup process in their area, including how to register and apply for all required local licenses and permits, in one day or less. In order to maximize the success of this Competition, SBA will work with the National League of Cities (NLC), an advocacy organization representing thousands of municipalities, to establish a formal mechanism by which all Startup in a Day Competition winners will be able to collaborate and share best practices. In conjunction with the Startup in a Day Competition, President Barack Obama is asking cities and Native American Communities across America to take a pledge to support entrepreneurs in their area by making it easier to start a business (for the text of this pledge, see sba.gov/startup). While it is not required to enter this Competition, all cities and Native American Communities are encouraged to take the pledge. As an additional encouragement, entries submitted by cities and Native American Communities that do take the pledge will receive five (5) bonus points during the evaluation process, as stipulated in Item 3: Part V below. Furthermore, all Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model winners will be required to take the pledge prior to receiving their prizes. VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Jun 11, 2015 Jkt 235001 An additional aim of this competition is to stimulate economic development in certain Priority Communities. For purposes of the Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model, Priority Communities are those cities that fall into one or more of the following categories (Note: Under the Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model, prizes for Native American Communities are being funded and scored separately and are not eligible for Priority Community consideration. However, both cities and Native American Communities are eligible for additional points for agreeing to the Startup in a Day Pledge. See Item 3: Part V below for more details.): • Rural/Non-Metropolitan: Cities having a population of less than 50,000. Please reference https://quickfacts. census.gov/qfd/. • High Poverty: Cities where 20 percent or more of residents are below the poverty level. Please reference https://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/ index.html. • Veterans Economic Community: Being an official participant in the Veterans Economic Communities Initiative. To view the list of participating cities, please go to https:// www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/20015/valaunches-campaign-increase-veteranseconomic-potential/. • Promise Zone: Being officially designated as a Promise Zone. To view the list of designated Promise Zones and lead organizations, please go to www.hud.gov/promisezones. 2. Eligibility Rules for Participating in the Competition: This Competition is open only to the local governments of United States cities (referred to as municipalities and townships by the U.S. Census Bureau 1) or American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian communities, or their constituent agencies and subdivisions. No city or Native American Community may submit more than one entry to the Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model. However, cities and Native American Communities are allowed to apply to both the Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model and to the Startup in a Day Competition—Dream Big Model (see separate announcement). Cities and Native American Communities must submit a separate application for each competition. However, please note that a city or Native American Community 1 U.S. Census Bureau, Governments Division, Lists and Structure of Governments, Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Accessed May 18, 2015, https://www.census.gov/govs/go/municipal_ township_govs.html. PO 00000 Frm 00106 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 cannot win a prize under both announcements. If a city or Native American Community is a finalist for both competitions, the city or Native American Community will be awarded the larger prize. No city or Native American Community that is currently suspended or debarred by the Federal government is eligible to take part in this Competition. 3. Registration Process for Contestants: Contestants in the Startup in a Day Competition—Start Small Model must submit their entries online using the link designated for that purpose on challenge.gov, either by filtering search criteria to ‘‘Small Business Administration’’ or going to sba.gov/startup, where the link will be posted. In addition to the basic details collected in that short application form, contestants must also complete and submit via challenge.gov a proposal and attachments that addresses all of the items identified below: Authorization Statement (Not to exceed one (1) page) • A letter or signed statement by the city or Native American Community representative, council, or equivalent approving or authorizing the entry on behalf of the city or Native American Community. Proposal (Parts I–III not to exceed two (2) pages) • Part I: City or Native American Community Description (20 points) (i) Briefly describe your city or Native American Community and its story (include applicable data from the most current source (i.e. U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS)). If your city qualifies as a Priority Community as defined in Item 1, also see Part IV below. (ii) Describe the demand for registering and obtaining permits, resources, etc. for small businesses in your city or Native American Community (include quantitative analysis). • Part II: Problem(s) and Solution(s) (40 points) (i) Describe the current process, including the problems/obstacles, an entrepreneur experiences while trying to register and obtain permits, resources, etc. as a small businesses in your city or Native American Community. (ii) Describe the solution that would solve the problems/obstacles described above, if awarded a prize. • Part III: Implementation (40 points) (i) Outline the anticipated timeframe for implementing the solution described above. (ii) Describe the top five (5) metrics relevant to outputs and outcomes that E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM 12JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 113 / Friday, June 12, 2015 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES would measure your city’s or Native American Community’s success in solving the stated problems/obstacles. (iii) Describe any additional resources that will need to be leveraged, including partnerships, to fully implement the proposed solution. Optional Proposal Addenda (Parts IV and V not to exceed one (1) page for each part) • Part IV: Service to Priority Communities as Defined in Item 1 (up to 10 bonus points . . . five (5) points for each eligible Priority Community to be served, up to two (2) communities) (i) State the Priority Community to be served. (ii) Briefly describe the Priority Community in your city (include applicable data from the most current sources (i.e., U.S. Census Bureau’s ACS)). (iii) Describe the demand from the Priority Community for registering small businesses and/or obtaining permits, resources, etc. in your city (include quantitative analysis). • Part V: Taking the Startup in a Day Pledge (five (5) bonus points). Cities and Native American Communities that agree to the Startup in a Day Pledge (for the text of the pledge, see sba.gov/ startup) will receive five (5) bonus points. Applicants only need to provide a statement that they agree to the Startup in a Day Pledge. Proposals may not include any confidential and/or proprietary information and must be formatted as follows: Æ Length: No more than two (2) pages to answer Parts I–III. No more than one (1) page to answer Part IV and one (1) page to answer Part V. Æ Spacing: 1.5 lines Æ Paper Size: 8.5 × 11 with threequarter (.75) inch margins on all sides Æ Font and Font Size: Calibri, 11 point 4. Prizes for Winners: In total, SBA will award up to $1.35 million in prizes under this announcement. SBA will award up to $1.25 million and no more than 25 prizes of up to $50,000 each to cities that are selected as winners. Due to the use of additional funding sources with different constraints, SBA will also separately award no more than two (2) prizes of up to $50,000 each to winning entries submitted by Native American Communities. Because the subject of this competition is not just the development of online tools to streamline the business startup process, but also the implementation and improvement of such tools, prizes will be disbursed in two payments. The first payment, equal VerDate Sep<11>2014 20:18 Jun 11, 2015 Jkt 235001 to 80 percent of a winner’s total prize amount, will be disbursed once all initial requirements (i.e. taking the Startup in a Day pledge, etc.) have been met. The remaining 20 percent of the total prize amount will be disbursed after a winner submits a written assessment that includes, but is not limited to, the outcomes and outputs of its Startup in a Day activities as measured by the metrics outlined in its proposal, a summary of any lessons learned and best practices, and suggestions for any improvements to the design or implementation of similar competitions in the future. Winners must base this assessment on a period of live operation of their Startup in a Day Web tools that is at least six (6) months and no more than twelve (12) months in length. Regardless of the length of the period of operation on which they are based, the written assessment must be submitted to SBA no later than 15 months after a winner receives its first prize payment. The written assessments, or portions thereof, may be made public. Further guidance regarding the format and means of submission of these assessments will be provided to winners prior to their acceptance of prizes. All prizes will be paid via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) and winners will be required to create an account in the System for Award Management (SAM) in order to receive their prizes. 5. Selection of Winners: Competition entries will be evaluated by a review committee that may be comprised of SBA officials, employees of other Federal agencies, and/or private sector experts. Winners will be selected based on the quality, clarity, completeness, and feasibility of their proposals in addressing the issues outlined in Item 3 of this Competition announcement. In addition, in order to achieve nationwide distribution of prizes for the purpose of assisting business startups across the entire United States, SBA may take into account contestants’ geographic locations and areas of service when selecting winners. For the announcement of winners, any travel or related expenses to attend an event will be the responsibility of the winner and may not be paid with prize funds. 6. Applicable Law: This Competition is being conducted by SBA pursuant to the America Competes Act (15 U.S.C. 3719) and is subject to all applicable federal laws and regulations. By participating in this Competition, each contestant gives its full and unconditional agreement to the Official Rules and the related administrative decisions described in this notice, PO 00000 Frm 00107 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 33581 which are final and binding in all matters related to the Competition. A contestant’s eligibility for a prize award is contingent upon their fulfilling all requirements identified in this notice. Publication of this notice is not an obligation of funds on the part of SBA. SBA reserves the right to modify or cancel this Competition, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the award of prizes. 7. Conflicts of Interest: No individual acting as a judge at any stage of this Competition may have personal or financial interests in, or be an employee, officer, director, or agent of any contestant or have a familial or financial relationship with a contestant. 8. Intellectual Property Rights: All entries submitted in response to this Challenge will remain the sole intellectual property of the individuals or organizations that developed them. By registering and entering a submission, each contestant represents and warrants that it is the sole author and copyright owner of the submission, and that the submission is an original work of the contestant, or if the submission is a work based on an existing application, that the contestant has acquired sufficient rights to use and to authorize others to use the submission, and that the submission does not infringe upon any copyright or upon any other third party rights of which the contestant is aware. 9. Publicity Rights: By registering and entering a submission, each contestant consents to SBA’s and its agents’ use, in perpetuity, of its name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, and/or hometown and state information for promotional or informational purposes through any form of media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. 10. Liability and Insurance Requirements: By registering and entering a submission, each contestant agrees to assume any and all risks and waive claims against the Federal Government and its related entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in this Competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises through negligence or otherwise. By registering and entering a submission, each contestant further represents and warrants that it possesses sufficient liability insurance or financial resources to cover claims by a third party for death, bodily injury, or property damage or loss resulting from any activity it carries out in connection with its E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM 12JNN1 33582 Federal Register / Vol. 80, No. 113 / Friday, June 12, 2015 / Notices participation in this Competition, or claims by the Federal Government for damage or loss to Government property resulting from such an activity. Competition winners should be prepared to demonstrate proof of insurance or financial responsibility in the event SBA deems it necessary. 11. Record Retention and Disclosure: All submissions and related materials provided to SBA in the course of this Competition automatically become SBA records and cannot be returned. Contestants should identify any confidential commercial information contained in their entries at the time of their submission. Award Approving Official: Christopher L. James, Associate Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street SW., Washington, DC 20416. Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3719. Dated: June 8, 2015. Christopher L. James, Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration. [FR Doc. 2015–14347 Filed 6–11–15; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8025–01–P DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration Environmental Impact Statement: Norfolk International Airport, Norfolk, VA Federal Aviation Administration, DOT. ACTION: Notice of intent. AGENCY: The FAA is issuing this notice to advise the public that an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for proposed improvements to the Norfolk International Airport (ORF). In October 2008, the Norfolk Airport Authority (NAA), owner and operator of ORF, prepared a Master Plan Update (MPU) to document changes occurring ‘‘in Airport facilities and activity that have taken place since the 1995 Master Plan Update,’’ to ‘‘provide the Authority with a development plan for the Airport through 2024,’’ and to address compliance shortfalls with published safety standards. Following the MPU, NAA prepared technical documents that focused on the potential construction of a replacement secondary runway. The first was the December 2008 Supplemental Technical Analyses for the Proposed Secondary Runway at Norfolk International Airport and the second was the December 2009 mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 19:05 Jun 11, 2015 Jkt 235001 Justification for Proposed Runway 5R/ 23L. In 2008 NAA also developed an Airport Layout Plan (ALP) that evaluated and noted future development needs at ORF. The ALP included a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for the Airport to address Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) design standards for the Airport’s existing crosswind Runway 14/32. During its planning process, NAA explored a number of alternatives to meet FAA design standards while also providing the flexibility needed to operate without interruption during various conditions. These alternatives included the potential construction of a replacement secondary runway as well as improvements to the existing crosswind Runway 14/32. The FAA will evaluate and consider the Airport’s MPU, ALP, and associated planning efforts when considering reasonable and feasible alternatives for the ORF EIS. Based on these previous planning efforts, the primary components of NAA’s proposed project at ORF include: • Decommissioning and demolition of Runway 14/32 • Constructing a relocated secondary runway parallel to and separated by 876 feet from the existing Runway 5/23. The proposed Runway 5R/23L would be 6,500 feet long by 150 feet wide. The purpose of the proposed project is: • To meet relevant FAA airfield safety standards and enhance airfield safety without reducing runway availability. Relevant airfield safety standards include: Æ Runway Safety Area, which is designed to provide additional safety in the event an aircraft leaves the runway; Æ Runway Protection Zone, which is area at ground level prior to the threshold or beyond the runway end to enhance the safety and protection of people and property on the ground; and Æ Runway Object Free Area, which is designed to provide an area clear of objects surrounding a runway. • To enhance operational efficiency and maintain airfield utility while considering surrounding airspace and ORF’s critical design aircraft. • To provide a safe, efficient southern vehicular access, on Airport property, to the Airport’s terminal area. The proposed project is needed to address the following four primary areas of deficiency at ORF: • Runway 14/32 does not meet the FAA design standards discussed above for several reasons, including, but not limited to, the location of Robin Hood Road and Lake Whitehurst near the Runway 14 end. PO 00000 Frm 00108 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 • The current airfield configuration limits operational efficiency, safety and flexibility due to secondary runway length and challenges in taxiing from the airfield layout. • Provide a flexible two-runway airfield system for aircraft operators and air traffic controllers. Incremental changes over time have severely decreased ORF’s ability to remain flexible with increasing airspace conflicts from surrounding military facilities. • Robin Hood Road, the secondary (southern) access to the Airport, has safety and functional deficiencies. Specifically, several curves in the onairport section of Robin Hood Road can be improved through a redesign of the roadway. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marcus Brundage, Project Manager, Federal Aviation Administration, Washington Airports District Office, 23723 Air Freight Lane, Suite 210, Dulles, Virginia 20166. Telephone (703) 661–1365. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The FAA, in consultation with the NAA, will prepare an EIS for the proposed project. The EIS will evaluate a range of alternatives to address FAA design standards for the secondary Runway 14/ 32. The alternatives to be considered will include the No Build Alternative and a variety of build alternatives, including NAA’s proposed alternative as detailed in the 2008 Master Plan Update. The EIS would also evaluate any alternatives identified during the Scoping process to address the project need. The FAA intends to use the preparation of this EIS to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act, and Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, and any other applicable laws that include public involvement requirements. The FAA intends to conduct a Scoping process to gather input from all interested parties to help identify any issues of concern associated with the proposed project. In addition to this notice, Federal, state, and local agencies, that have legal jurisdiction and/or special expertise with respect to any potential environmental impacts associated with the proposed project, will be notified by letter of an Agency Scoping Meeting to be held on July 22, 2015 in Norfolk, Virginia. The general public will be notified of the Scoping process through a legal notice, describing the proposed project. The Notice will be placed in E:\FR\FM\12JNN1.SGM 12JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 113 (Friday, June 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 33579-33582]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-14347]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION


Announcement of Startup in a Day Competition--Start Small Model

AGENCY: U.S. Small Business Administration.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announces the 
2015 Startup in a Day Competition--Start Small Model, pursuant to the

[[Page 33580]]

America Competes Act, to spur the development, implementation, and 
improvement of online tools that will let entrepreneurs learn about the 
business startup process in their area, including how to register and 
apply for all required local licenses and permits--all in one day or 
less.

DATES: The submission period for entries begins 12:00 p.m. EDT, June 
11, 2015 and ends July 13, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. EDT. Winners will be 
announced no later than August 31, 2015.

ADDRESSES: For further information, please contact the U.S. Small 
Business Administration, Startup in a Day--IGA, 409 Third Street SW., 
Washington, DC 20416, (202) 205-7364, startup@sba.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Competition Details

    1. Subject of Competition: The SBA is seeking to support 
entrepreneurs who are navigating the requirements to start a business. 
Currently many of these requirements are in multiple locations and a 
streamlined approach could help entrepreneurs startup more easily. The 
Startup in a Day Competition--Start Small Model is designed to spur the 
development, implementation, and improvement of online tools that will 
let entrepreneurs learn about the business startup process in their 
area, including how to register and apply for all required local 
licenses and permits, in one day or less. In order to maximize the 
success of this Competition, SBA will work with the National League of 
Cities (NLC), an advocacy organization representing thousands of 
municipalities, to establish a formal mechanism by which all Startup in 
a Day Competition winners will be able to collaborate and share best 
practices.
    In conjunction with the Startup in a Day Competition, President 
Barack Obama is asking cities and Native American Communities across 
America to take a pledge to support entrepreneurs in their area by 
making it easier to start a business (for the text of this pledge, see 
sba.gov/startup). While it is not required to enter this Competition, 
all cities and Native American Communities are encouraged to take the 
pledge. As an additional encouragement, entries submitted by cities and 
Native American Communities that do take the pledge will receive five 
(5) bonus points during the evaluation process, as stipulated in Item 
3: Part V below. Furthermore, all Startup in a Day Competition--Start 
Small Model winners will be required to take the pledge prior to 
receiving their prizes.
    An additional aim of this competition is to stimulate economic 
development in certain Priority Communities. For purposes of the 
Startup in a Day Competition--Start Small Model, Priority Communities 
are those cities that fall into one or more of the following categories 
(Note: Under the Startup in a Day Competition--Start Small Model, 
prizes for Native American Communities are being funded and scored 
separately and are not eligible for Priority Community consideration. 
However, both cities and Native American Communities are eligible for 
additional points for agreeing to the Startup in a Day Pledge. See Item 
3: Part V below for more details.):
     Rural/Non-Metropolitan: Cities having a population of less 
than 50,000. Please reference https://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/.
     High Poverty: Cities where 20 percent or more of residents 
are below the poverty level. Please reference https://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/.
     Veterans Economic Community: Being an official participant 
in the Veterans Economic Communities Initiative. To view the list of 
participating cities, please go to https://www.blogs.va.gov/VAntage/20015/va-launches-campaign-increase-veterans-economic-potential/.
     Promise Zone: Being officially designated as a Promise 
Zone. To view the list of designated Promise Zones and lead 
organizations, please go to www.hud.gov/promisezones.
    2. Eligibility Rules for Participating in the Competition: This 
Competition is open only to the local governments of United States 
cities (referred to as municipalities and townships by the U.S. Census 
Bureau \1\) or American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian 
communities, or their constituent agencies and subdivisions. No city or 
Native American Community may submit more than one entry to the Startup 
in a Day Competition--Start Small Model. However, cities and Native 
American Communities are allowed to apply to both the Startup in a Day 
Competition--Start Small Model and to the Startup in a Day 
Competition--Dream Big Model (see separate announcement). Cities and 
Native American Communities must submit a separate application for each 
competition. However, please note that a city or Native American 
Community cannot win a prize under both announcements. If a city or 
Native American Community is a finalist for both competitions, the city 
or Native American Community will be awarded the larger prize. No city 
or Native American Community that is currently suspended or debarred by 
the Federal government is eligible to take part in this Competition.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ U.S. Census Bureau, Governments Division, Lists and 
Structure of Governments, Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. 
Accessed May 18, 2015, https://www.census.gov/govs/go/municipal_township_govs.html.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    3. Registration Process for Contestants: Contestants in the Startup 
in a Day Competition--Start Small Model must submit their entries 
online using the link designated for that purpose on challenge.gov, 
either by filtering search criteria to ``Small Business 
Administration'' or going to sba.gov/startup, where the link will be 
posted. In addition to the basic details collected in that short 
application form, contestants must also complete and submit via 
challenge.gov a proposal and attachments that addresses all of the 
items identified below:

Authorization Statement (Not to exceed one (1) page)

     A letter or signed statement by the city or Native 
American Community representative, council, or equivalent approving or 
authorizing the entry on behalf of the city or Native American 
Community.

Proposal (Parts I-III not to exceed two (2) pages)

     Part I: City or Native American Community Description (20 
points)
    (i) Briefly describe your city or Native American Community and its 
story (include applicable data from the most current source (i.e. U.S. 
Census Bureau's ACS)). If your city qualifies as a Priority Community 
as defined in Item 1, also see Part IV below.
    (ii) Describe the demand for registering and obtaining permits, 
resources, etc. for small businesses in your city or Native American 
Community (include quantitative analysis).
     Part II: Problem(s) and Solution(s) (40 points)
    (i) Describe the current process, including the problems/obstacles, 
an entrepreneur experiences while trying to register and obtain 
permits, resources, etc. as a small businesses in your city or Native 
American Community.
    (ii) Describe the solution that would solve the problems/obstacles 
described above, if awarded a prize.
     Part III: Implementation (40 points)
    (i) Outline the anticipated timeframe for implementing the solution 
described above.
    (ii) Describe the top five (5) metrics relevant to outputs and 
outcomes that

[[Page 33581]]

would measure your city's or Native American Community's success in 
solving the stated problems/obstacles.
    (iii) Describe any additional resources that will need to be 
leveraged, including partnerships, to fully implement the proposed 
solution.

Optional Proposal Addenda (Parts IV and V not to exceed one (1) page 
for each part)

     Part IV: Service to Priority Communities as Defined in 
Item 1 (up to 10 bonus points . . . five (5) points for each eligible 
Priority Community to be served, up to two (2) communities)
    (i) State the Priority Community to be served.
    (ii) Briefly describe the Priority Community in your city (include 
applicable data from the most current sources (i.e., U.S. Census 
Bureau's ACS)).
    (iii) Describe the demand from the Priority Community for 
registering small businesses and/or obtaining permits, resources, etc. 
in your city (include quantitative analysis).
     Part V: Taking the Startup in a Day Pledge (five (5) bonus 
points). Cities and Native American Communities that agree to the 
Startup in a Day Pledge (for the text of the pledge, see sba.gov/startup) will receive five (5) bonus points. Applicants only need to 
provide a statement that they agree to the Startup in a Day Pledge.
    Proposals may not include any confidential and/or proprietary 
information and must be formatted as follows:
    [cir] Length: No more than two (2) pages to answer Parts I-III. No 
more than one (1) page to answer Part IV and one (1) page to answer 
Part V.
    [cir] Spacing: 1.5 lines
    [cir] Paper Size: 8.5 x 11 with three-quarter (.75) inch margins on 
all sides
    [cir] Font and Font Size: Calibri, 11 point
    4. Prizes for Winners: In total, SBA will award up to $1.35 million 
in prizes under this announcement. SBA will award up to $1.25 million 
and no more than 25 prizes of up to $50,000 each to cities that are 
selected as winners. Due to the use of additional funding sources with 
different constraints, SBA will also separately award no more than two 
(2) prizes of up to $50,000 each to winning entries submitted by Native 
American Communities.
    Because the subject of this competition is not just the development 
of online tools to streamline the business startup process, but also 
the implementation and improvement of such tools, prizes will be 
disbursed in two payments. The first payment, equal to 80 percent of a 
winner's total prize amount, will be disbursed once all initial 
requirements (i.e. taking the Startup in a Day pledge, etc.) have been 
met. The remaining 20 percent of the total prize amount will be 
disbursed after a winner submits a written assessment that includes, 
but is not limited to, the outcomes and outputs of its Startup in a Day 
activities as measured by the metrics outlined in its proposal, a 
summary of any lessons learned and best practices, and suggestions for 
any improvements to the design or implementation of similar 
competitions in the future. Winners must base this assessment on a 
period of live operation of their Startup in a Day Web tools that is at 
least six (6) months and no more than twelve (12) months in length.
    Regardless of the length of the period of operation on which they 
are based, the written assessment must be submitted to SBA no later 
than 15 months after a winner receives its first prize payment. The 
written assessments, or portions thereof, may be made public. Further 
guidance regarding the format and means of submission of these 
assessments will be provided to winners prior to their acceptance of 
prizes.
    All prizes will be paid via the Automated Clearing House (ACH) and 
winners will be required to create an account in the System for Award 
Management (SAM) in order to receive their prizes.
    5. Selection of Winners: Competition entries will be evaluated by a 
review committee that may be comprised of SBA officials, employees of 
other Federal agencies, and/or private sector experts. Winners will be 
selected based on the quality, clarity, completeness, and feasibility 
of their proposals in addressing the issues outlined in Item 3 of this 
Competition announcement. In addition, in order to achieve nationwide 
distribution of prizes for the purpose of assisting business startups 
across the entire United States, SBA may take into account contestants' 
geographic locations and areas of service when selecting winners. For 
the announcement of winners, any travel or related expenses to attend 
an event will be the responsibility of the winner and may not be paid 
with prize funds.
    6. Applicable Law: This Competition is being conducted by SBA 
pursuant to the America Competes Act (15 U.S.C. 3719) and is subject to 
all applicable federal laws and regulations. By participating in this 
Competition, each contestant gives its full and unconditional agreement 
to the Official Rules and the related administrative decisions 
described in this notice, which are final and binding in all matters 
related to the Competition. A contestant's eligibility for a prize 
award is contingent upon their fulfilling all requirements identified 
in this notice. Publication of this notice is not an obligation of 
funds on the part of SBA. SBA reserves the right to modify or cancel 
this Competition, in whole or in part, at any time prior to the award 
of prizes.
    7. Conflicts of Interest: No individual acting as a judge at any 
stage of this Competition may have personal or financial interests in, 
or be an employee, officer, director, or agent of any contestant or 
have a familial or financial relationship with a contestant.
    8. Intellectual Property Rights: All entries submitted in response 
to this Challenge will remain the sole intellectual property of the 
individuals or organizations that developed them. By registering and 
entering a submission, each contestant represents and warrants that it 
is the sole author and copyright owner of the submission, and that the 
submission is an original work of the contestant, or if the submission 
is a work based on an existing application, that the contestant has 
acquired sufficient rights to use and to authorize others to use the 
submission, and that the submission does not infringe upon any 
copyright or upon any other third party rights of which the contestant 
is aware.
    9. Publicity Rights: By registering and entering a submission, each 
contestant consents to SBA's and its agents' use, in perpetuity, of its 
name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, and/or hometown and state 
information for promotional or informational purposes through any form 
of media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.
    10. Liability and Insurance Requirements: By registering and 
entering a submission, each contestant agrees to assume any and all 
risks and waive claims against the Federal Government and its related 
entities, except in the case of willful misconduct, for any injury, 
death, damage, or loss of property, revenue, or profits, whether 
direct, indirect, or consequential, arising from their participation in 
this Competition, whether the injury, death, damage, or loss arises 
through negligence or otherwise. By registering and entering a 
submission, each contestant further represents and warrants that it 
possesses sufficient liability insurance or financial resources to 
cover claims by a third party for death, bodily injury, or property 
damage or loss resulting from any activity it carries out in connection 
with its

[[Page 33582]]

participation in this Competition, or claims by the Federal Government 
for damage or loss to Government property resulting from such an 
activity. Competition winners should be prepared to demonstrate proof 
of insurance or financial responsibility in the event SBA deems it 
necessary.
    11. Record Retention and Disclosure: All submissions and related 
materials provided to SBA in the course of this Competition 
automatically become SBA records and cannot be returned. Contestants 
should identify any confidential commercial information contained in 
their entries at the time of their submission.
    Award Approving Official: Christopher L. James, Associate 
Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, 409 Third Street 
SW., Washington, DC 20416.

    Authority: 15 U.S.C. 3719.

    Dated: June 8, 2015.
Christopher L. James,
Associate Administrator, Small Business Administration.
[FR Doc. 2015-14347 Filed 6-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8025-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.