2584 Federal Register / Vol. 5, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 18, 2000 / Notices

under U.S. federal and state antitrust

laws for the export conduct specified in

the Certificate and carried out during its

effective period in compliance with its

terms and conditions.

A copy of this certificate will be kept

in the International Trade

Administration’s Freedom of

Information Records Inspection Facility

Room 4102, U.S. Department of

Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution

Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20230.

Dated: January 11, 2000.

Morton Schnabel,

Director, Office of Export Trading Company

Affairs.

[FR Doc. 00–1017 Filed 1–14–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[Docket No. 000104003–0003–01]

Special American Business Internship

Training Program (SABIT)

AGENCY: International Trade

Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

SUMMARY: In support of the U.S. State

Department’s Russian Regional

Initiative for the Russian Far East,

SABIT is launching a special grant

program for the region of Sakhalin,

Russia. This Notice announces

availability of funds for the Special

American Business Internship Training

Program (SABIT), for training oil and

gas managers and engineers (also

referred to as ‘‘interns’’) from Sakhalin,

Russia. The Department of Commerce,

International Trade Administration

(ITA) established the SABIT program in

September 1990 to assist Russia’s

transition to a market economy. Since

that time, SABIT has been matching

business managers, engineers and

scientists from Russia with U.S. firms

which provide them hands-on training

in a U.S. market economy.

Under the SABIT program, qualified

U.S. firms will receive funds through a

cooperative agreement with ITA to help

defray the cost of hosting interns. ITA

will interview and recommend eligible

interns to participating companies.

Interns must be from Sakhalin Region,

Russia. The U.S. firms will be expected

to provide the interns with a hands-on,

non-academic, executive training

program designed to maximize their

exposure to management or technical

operations. At the end of the training

program, interns must return to

Sakhalin, Russia.

DATES: The closing date for applications

is March 3, 2000. An original and two

copies of the application (Standard

Form 424 (Rev. 4–92) and supplemental

material) are to be sent to the address

designated in the Application Kit and

postmarked no later than the closing

date. Applications will be considered on

a ‘‘rolling’’ basis as they are received,

subject to the availability of funds. If

available funds are depleted prior to the

closing date, a notice to that effect will

be published in the Federal Register.

Processing of complete applications

takes approximately two to three

months. All awards are expected to be

made by May 2000.

ADDRESSES: Request for Applications:

Competitive Application kits will be

available from ITA starting on the day

this notice is published. To obtain a

copy of the Application Kit please Email: SABITApply@ita.doc.gov (please

state which format, e.g. WordPerfect

6.1), telephone (202) 482–0073,

facsimile (202) 482–2443 (these are not

toll free numbers), or send a written

request with two self-addressed mailing

labels to Application Request, The

SABIT Program, HCHB Room 3319, U.S.

Department of Commerce, 14th Street

and Constitution Avenue, NW.,

Washington, DC, 20230. Only one copy

of the Application Kit will be provided

to each organization requesting it, but it

may be reproduced by the requester.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Liesel C. Duhon, Director, SABIT

Program, U.S. Department of Commerce,

phone—(202) 482–0073, facsimile—

(202) 482–2443. These are not toll free

numbers.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: SABIT

exposes Russian business managers,

engineers and scientists to a completely

new way of thinking in which demand,

consumer satisfaction, and profits drive

production. Mid to senior-level

executives visiting the U.S. for

internship programs with public or

private sector companies will be

exposed to an environment which will

provide them with practical knowledge

for transforming their countries’

enterprises and economies to the free

market. The program provides firsthand, eye-opening experience to

managers, engineers and scientists

which cannot be duplicated by

American managers traveling to their

territories.

Managers and Engineers

SABIT assists economic restructuring

in Russia by providing top-level

business managers and engineers with

practical training in American methods

of innovation and management in such

areas as strategic planning, financing,

production, distribution, marketing,

accounting, wholesaling, technology

and labor relations. This first-hand

experience in the U.S. economy enables

interns to become leaders in

establishing and operating a market

economy in Russia, and creates a unique

opportunity for U.S. firms to familiarize

key executives from Russia with their

products and services. Sponsoring U.S.

firms will benefit by establishing

relationships with key managers in

similar industries who are uniquely

positioned to assist their U.S. sponsors

to do business in Russia.

The Special American Business

Internship Training program’s Catalog of

Federal Domestic Assistance (CFA)

number is 11.114.

Funding Availability

Pursuant to section 632(a) of the

Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as

amended (the ‘‘Act’’) funding for the

program will be provided by the United

States Agency for International

Development (A.I.D). ITA will award

financial assistance and administer the

program pursuant to the authority

contained in section 635(b) of the Act

and other applicable Grant rules. The

estimated amount of financial assistance

available for the program is $420,000.

Funding Instrument and Project

Duration

Federal assistance will be awarded

pursuant to a cooperative agreement

between ITA and the recipient firm. All

internships are three to eighteen (18)

months. Eighteen (18) month

internships are limited in number and

will be available on a case-by-case basis

based on the needs identified in the

training proposals. In addition, ITA

reserves the right to allow an intern to

stay for a shorter period of time (no less

than one month) if the U.S. company

agrees and the intern demonstrates a

need for a shorter internship based on

his or her management responsibilities.

ITA will reimburse companies for the

round trip international travel of each

intern from the intern’s home city in

Sakhalin, Russia to one U.S. internship

site, upon submission to ITA of the paid

travel invoice, payment receipt, or other

evidence of payment and the form SF–

270, ‘‘Request for Advance or

Reimbursement.’’ Travel under the

program is subject to the Fly America

Act. Recipient firms provide $30 per

day directly to interns; ITA will

reimburse recipient firms for this

stipend of $30 per day per intern, for up

to 18 months, upon submission by

company of an end-of-internship report

and form SF–270. Recipient firms

Federal Register / Vol. 5, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 18, 2000 / Notices 2585

provide housing for the interns; ITA

will reimburse recipient firms for up to

$500 per month for actual housing costs,

at the same time as the stipend, and

upon submission by company of an endof-internship report and form SF–270.

In general, each award will have a cap

of $29,000 per intern (for a maximum

period of eighteen (18) months) for total

cost of airline travel, stipend and

housing costs. However, the total

payment cannot exceed the award

amount. There are no specific matching

requirements for the awards. Host firms,

however, are expected to bear the costs

beyond those covered by the award,

including: visa fees, insurance, any food

and incidental costs beyond $30 per

day, interpretation, training manuals,

any training-related travel within the

U.S., and provision of the hands-on

training for the interns.

U.S. firms wishing to utilize SABIT in

order to be matched with an intern

without applying for financial

assistance may do so. Such firms will be

responsible for all costs, including

travel expenses, related to sponsoring

the intern. However, prior to acceptance

as a SABIT intern, work plans and

candidates must be approved by the

SABIT Program. Furthermore, program

training will be monitored by SABIT

staff and evaluated upon completion of

training.

Eligibility: Eligible applicants for the

SABIT program will include all for

profit or non-profit U.S. corporations,

associations, organizations or other

public or private entities. Agencies or

divisions of the federal government are

not eligible.

Project Funding Priorities

Applicant proposal must provide an

explanation, including description and

extent of involvement, in priority

business sector—oil and gas industry.

Evaluation Criteria: Consideration for

financial assistance will be given to

those SABIT proposals which:

(1) Demonstrate a commitment to the

intent and goals of the program to

provide practical, on-the-job, nonacademic, non-classroom, training.

Include a brief objectives section

indicating why the Applicant wishes to

provide an internship to a manager(s) or

engineers(s) from Sakhalin, Russia, and

how the proposed internship would

further the purpose of the SABIT

program as described above. Also, the

Applicant should note how the

internship to be provided will respond

to the priority needs of senior business

managers and engineers in Sakhalin,

Russia, as determined by ITA.

(2) Present a realistic work plan

describing in detail the training program

to be provided to the SABIT intern(s).

Work plans must include the proposed

internship training activities. The

components of the training activities

must be described in as much detail as

possible, preferably on a week-by-week

basis. The description of the training

activities should include an account of

what the intern’s(s’) duties and

responsibilities will be during the

training.

(3) The application should also have

a section noting: (a). Whether Applicant

is applying to host managers or

engineers (and the number of each); (b).

The duration of the internship; (c). The

location(s) of the internship; (d). The

name, address, and telephone number of

the designated internship coordinator;

(e). Name(s) of division(s) in which the

intern(s) will be placed; (f). The

individual(s) in the U.S. company under

whose supervision the intern will train;

(g). the anticipated housing

arrangements to be provided for the

intern(s). Note that housing

arrangements should be suitable for

mid-and senior-level professionals, and

that each intern must be provided with

a private room; (h). A statement that the

host firm is solidly committed to

interns’ return to Russia upon

completion of the internships.

(4) Provide a general description of

the profile of the intern(s) the Applicant

would like to host, including:

educational background; occupational/

professional background (including

number of years and areas of

experience); and size and nature of

organization at which the intern(s) is/

are presently employed.

Evaluation criteria 1–4 will be

weighted equally.

ITA does not guarantee that it will

match Applicant with the profile

provided to SABIT.

Selection Procedures

Each application will receive an

independent, objective review by one or

more three or four-member independent

review panels qualified to evaluate

applications submitted under the

program. Applications will be evaluated

on a competitive, ‘‘rolling’’ basis (firstcome, first-served) as they are received

in accordance with the selection

evaluation set forth above. Awards will

be made to those applications which

successfully meet the selection criteria.

If funds are not available for all those

applications which successfully meet

the criteria, awards will be made to the

first applications received which

successfully do so. ITA reserves the

right to reject any application; to limit

the number of interns per applicant; to

limit the duration of training; and to

waive informalities and minor

irregularities in applications received.

The final selecting official reserves the

right to make awards based on U.S.

geographic and organization size

diversity among applicants, as well as to

consider priority business sectors (listed

in Project Funding Priorities, above)

when making awards. Recipients may

be eligible, pursuant to approval of an

amendment of an active award, to host

additional interns under the program.

ITA reserves the right to evaluate

applicants based on past performance.

The Director of the SABIT Program is

the final selecting official for each

award.

Additional Information

Applicants must submit: (1) Evidence

of adequate financial resources of

Applicant organization to cover the

costs involved in providing an

internship(s). As evidence of such

resources, Applicant should submit

financial statements audited by an

outside organization or an annual report

including such statements. If these are

not available, a letter should be

provided from the Applicant’s bank or

outside accountant attesting to the

financial capability of the firm to

undertake the scope of work involved in

training an intern under the SABIT

program. (2) Evidence of a satisfactory

record of performance in grants,

contracts and/or cooperative agreements

with the Federal Government, if

applicable. (Applicants who are or have

been deficient in current or recent

performance in their grants, contracts,

and/or cooperative agreements with the

Federal Government shall be presumed

to be unable to meet this requirement)

(3) A statement that the Applicant will

provide medical insurance coverage for

interns during their internships.

Recipients will be required to submit

proof of the interns’ medical insurance

coverage to the Federal Program Officer,

before the interns’ arrivals. The

insurance coverage must include an

accident and comprehensive medical

insurance program as well as coverage

for accidental death, emergency medical

evacuation, and repatriation.

Other Requirements: All applicants

are advised of the following:

1. No award of Federal funds shall be

made to an Applicant who has an

outstanding delinquent Federal debt

until either the delinquent account is

paid in full, a negotiated repayment

schedule is established and at least one

payment is received, or other

arrangements satisfactory to the

Department of Commerce (DOC) are

made.

2586 Federal Register / Vol. 5, No. 11 / Tuesday, January 18, 2000 / Notices

2. A false statement on the application

is grounds for denial or termination of

funds and grounds for possible

punishment by a fine or imprisonment

as provided in 18 U.S.C. 1001.

3. Recipients and subrecipients are

subject to all Federal laws and Federal

and Departmental regulations, policies

and procedures applicable to financial

assistance awards.

4. Participating companies will be

required to comply with all relevant

U.S. tax and export regulations. Export

controls may relate not only to licensing

of products for export, but also to

technical data transfer.

5. Applications under this program

are not subject to Executive Order

12372, ‘‘Intergovernmental Review of

Federal Programs.’’

6. If applicants incur any costs prior

to an award being made, they do solely

at their own risk of not being

reimbursed by the Government.

Notwithstanding any verbal or written

assurance that may have been received,

there is no obligation on the part of DOC

to cover pre-award costs.

7. Past performance: Unsatisfactory

performance by an applicant under

prior Federal awards may result in an

application not being considered for

funding.

8. No obligation for future funding: If

an application is selected for funding,

DOC has no obligation to provide any

additional future funding in connection

with that award. Renewal of an award

to increase funding or extend the period

of performance is at the total discretion

of DOC.

9. Primary Applicant Certifications:

All primary applicants must submit a

completed Form CD–511,

‘‘Certifications Regarding Debarment,

Suspension and Other Responsibility

Matters; Drug-Free Workplace

Requirements and Lobbying,’’ and the

following explanations are hereby

provided:

(a) Nonprocurement Debarment and

Suspension: Prospective participants (as

defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 105)

are subject to 15 CFR Part 26,

‘‘Nonprocurement Debarment and

Suspension’’ and the related section of

the certification form prescribed above

applies.

(b) Drug Free Workplace: Grantees (as

defined at 15 CFR Part 26, Section 605)

are subject to 15 CFR Part 26, Subpart

F, ‘‘Government wide Requirements for

Drug-Free Workplace (Grants)’’ and the

related section of the certification form

prescribed above applies.

(c) Anti-Lobbying: Funds provided

under the SABIT program may not be

used for lobbying activities. Persons (as

defined at 15 CFR Part 28, Section 105)

are subject to the lobbying provisions of

31 U.S.C. 1352, ‘‘Limitation on use of

appropriated funds to influence certain

Federal contracting and financial

transactions,’’ and the lobbying section

of the certification form prescribed

above applies to applications/bids for

grants, cooperative agreements, and

contracts for more than $100,000, and

loans and loan guarantees for more than

$150,000, or the single family maximum

mortgage limit for affected programs,

whichever is greater.

(d) Anti-Lobbying Disclosures: Any

applicant that has paid or will pay for

lobbying in connection with this award

using any funds must submit an SF–

LLL, ‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying

Activities,’’ as required under 15 CFR

Part 28, Appendix B.

10. All primary applicants must also

submit a completed Standard Form 424,

‘‘Application for Federal Assistance’’

and a Standard Form 424B,

‘‘Assurances—Non-Construction

Programs.’’ Form CD–511 and Standard

Forms 424 and 424B are included in the

Application Kit supplied by the SABIT

office.

11. Lower Tier Certifications:

Recipients shall require applicants/

bidders for subgrants, contracts,

subcontracts, or other lower tier covered

transactions at any tier under the award

to submit, if applicable, a completed

Form CD–512, ‘‘Certifications Regarding

Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility

and Voluntary Exclusion-Lower Tier

Covered Transactions and Lobbying’’

and disclosure form, SF–LLL,

‘‘Disclosure of Lobbying Activities.’’

Form CD–512 is intended for the use of

recipients and should not be transmitted

to DOC. SF–LLL submitted by any tier

recipient or subrecipient should be

submitted to DOC in accordance with

the instructions contained in the award

document.

12. Indirect Costs: Indirect costs are

not allowed under the SABIT program.

13. Applicants are hereby notified

that any equipment or products

authorized to be purchased with

funding provided under this program

must be American-made to the greatest

extent practicable.

14. The following statutes apply to

this program: Section 907 of the

FREEDOM Support Act, Public Law

102–511, 22 U.S.C. 5812 note

(Restriction on Assistance to the

Government of Azerbaijan); 7 U.S.C.

§ 5201 et seq. (Agricultural

Competitiveness and Trade—the

Bumpers Amendment); The Foreign

Assistance Act of 1961, as amended,

including Chapter 11 of Part I, section

498A (b) Public Law 102–511, 22 U.S.C.

2295a(b), (regarding ineligibility for

assistance); 22 U.S.C. 2420(a), Section

660(a) of The Foreign Assistance Act of

1961, as amended (Police Training

Prohibition); and provisions in the

annual Foreign Operations, Export

Financing, and Related Programs

Appropriations Acts, concerning Use of

American Resources, Impact on Jobs in

the United States and Commerce and

Trade (see, e.g., §§ 546, 538 and 513

respectively of the Foreign Operations,

Export Financing, and Related

Appropriations Act, 1998, Public Law

105–118).

15. Audit Requirements: The DOC

Office of Inspector General has authority

under the Inspector General Act of 1978,

as amended, to conduct an audit of any

DOC award at any time.

16. Payments. As required by the Debt

Collections Improvement Act of 1996,

all Federal payments to award

recipients pursuant to this

announcement will be made by

electronic funds transfer.

17. The collection of information is

approved by the Office of Management

and Budget, OMB Control Number

0625–0225. Public reporting for this

collection of information is estimated to

be three hours per response, including

the time for reviewing instructions, and

completing and reviewing the collection

of information. All responses to this

collection of information are voluntary,

and will be protected from disclosure to

the extent allowed under the Freedom

of Information Act. Notwithstanding

any other provision of law, no person is

required to respond to nor shall a

person be subject to the requirements of

the Paperwork Reduction Act unless

that collection of information displays a

current valid OMB Control Number.

Send comments regarding the burden

estimate or any other aspect of this

collection of information, including

suggestions for reducing this burden, to

the Reports Clearance Officer,

International Trade Administration,

Department of Commerce, Room 4001,

14th and Constitution Ave., NW,

Washington, DC 20230.

For Further Information Contact:

Special American Business Internship

Training, International Trade

Administration, at (202) 482–0073. This

is not a toll free-number.

Dated: January 10, 2000.

Liesel C. Duhon,

Director, SABIT Program.

[FR Doc. 00–1005 Filed 1–14–00; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–HE–P