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[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 247 (Thursday, December 26, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 104985-104986]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-30765]

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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Minority Business Development Agency

[Docket No. 241219-0332]

Request for Public Comment on MBDA Information Clearinghouse

AGENCY: Minority Business Development Agency, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) is accepting 
written comments from the public regarding the MBDA Information 
Clearinghouse, through February 28, 2025. The comments will inform MBDA 
of the types of data and other information sought, best practices or 
recommendations for studies, analysis and data about Minority Business 
Enterprises (MBEs) to be published, and ways to improve the user 
experience.

ADDRESSES: Please submit all comments in response to the questions 
presented in this notice at www.regulations.gov. To access the docket 
where comments may be submitted, please enter ``MBDA-2024-0004'' in the 
search bar. Written comments must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. 
EST, February 28, 2025. Comments received after the deadline will not 
be considered. For comments to be considered, they must include the 
following identification of the commenter: name; title (if applicable); 
organization or business (if applicable); and city and state.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Efrain Gonzalez, Jr., Associate 
Director, Office of Data, Research and Evaluation, Minority Business 
Development Agency, at (202) 482-1079; or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Minority Business Development Act of 2021, 15 U.S.C. 9513, 
mandates MBDA to develop and implement an Information Clearinghouse 
that will collect and disseminate demographic, economic, financial, 
managerial, and technical data relating to MBEs. In conjunction with 
this Request for Public Comment, MBDA will launch the Information 
Clearinghouse and allow the public an opportunity to review, and 
comment based on the initial deployment. The Information Clearinghouse 
is being released as a beta version hosting data, research, and reports 
about MBEs, with on-going improvements to its technical functionality 
and content planned

[[Page 104986]]

during the year. Public feedback will help MBDA identify user interests 
and priorities related to data, information, and system usability.

II. Information Clearinghouse

    The purpose of this request for comment is to inform MBDA on user 
preferences related to the content type, maintenance, collection and 
dissemination to relevant parties (including business owners and 
researchers).

III. Requests for Public Comment

    Members of the general public are invited to submit responses to 
the following:
    (1) The types of data and information MBDA should have available in 
the Information Clearinghouse (www.mbda.gov/research).
    (2) Provide examples of how the data and information could be used.
    (3) Provide preferences for how data and information is made 
available, including but not limited to preferences on file formats, 
3rd party access & software integration, visualization of data sets, 
and language.
    (4) Provide best practices and/or recommendations, which may 
include examples, of evidentiary-based studies, analysis and data 
related to Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) for publication through 
the Information Clearinghouse.
    (5) Provide feedback on overall use of the system including 
challenges in finding specific data and/or information.
    All comments must be submitted in written form at 
www.regulations.gov. To access the docket where comments may be 
submitted, please enter ``MBDA-2024-0004'' in the search bar. Comments 
must be received no later than 11:59 p.m., EST, Friday, February 28, 
2025.

    Dated: December 19, 2024.
Eric Morrisette,
Deputy Under Secretary for Minority Business Development, U.S. 
Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2024-30765 Filed 12-23-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-21-P
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