28040 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development Administration

[Docket No. 000515144–1101–02]

RIN: 0610–ZA

National Technical Assistance,

Training, Research, and Evaluation—

Request for Grant Proposals

AGENCY: Economic Development

Administration (EDA), Department of

Commerce (DoC).

ACTION: Request for Grant Proposals

(RFP) Upon Availability of Funds.

SUMMARY: As part of its mission to assist

economically distressed areas, EDA is

soliciting proposals to (1) evaluate

EDA’s Economic Adjustment Program,

(2) review the literature and practical

experience regarding issues of critical

importance to economic development

practitioners nationally, (3) identify the

location of and economic development

problems facing communities with

significant Asian American and Pacific

Islander populations, and (4)

disseminate economic development

information to practitioners serving

economically distressed urban areas.

EDA issues this Notice to describe the

conditions under which applications for

these projects will be accepted and

selected for funding. Projects will be

funded if acceptable proposals are

received.

DATES: Prospective applicants are

advised that EDA will conduct a preproposal conference on June 6, 2001, at

2:00 p.m. EDT in the Department of

Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building,

1401 Constitution Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20230, Room 6057, at

which time questions on these projects

can be answered. Potential applicants

are encouraged to provide written

questions by June 1, 2001 (See

ADDRESSES section below). Prospective

applicants unable to attend this preproposal conference may participate by

teleconference. Teleconference

information may be obtained by calling

(202) 482–4085 between 8:30–4:30 EDT

on June 5, 2001.

Proposals for funding under this

program will be accepted through June

20, 2001, at either of the addresses

provided below. Proposals received

after 4 p.m. EDT, on June 20, 2001, will

not be considered for funding.

By July 2, 2001, EDA will notify

proposers whether or not they will be

given further funding consideration.

Each successful proponent will be

invited to submit an Application for

Federal Assistance, OMB Control

Number 0610–0094. Projects will be

funded no later than September 30,

2001.

ADDRESSES: 1. Proposals may be mailed

to: John J. McNamee, Director, Research

and National Technical Assistance

Division, Economic Development

Administration, Room 7019, U.S.

Department of Commerce, 1401

Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington,

DC 20230, or Proposals may be handdelivered to: John J. McNamee, Director,

Research and National Technical

Assistance Division, Economic

Development Administration, Room

1874, U.S. Department of Commerce,

1401 Constitution Avenue, NW,

Washington, DC 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John

J. McNamee (202) 482–4085; email:

jmcnamee@eda.doc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Areas of Special Interest

• Impact of EDA Economic Adjustment

Program Investments

EDA invites proposals to evaluate the

extent to which EDA’s Economic

Adjustment Program (EAP) investments

achieve structural economic adjustment

in the target communities and the length

of time required to do so.

Background: EDA’s EAP, which was

established in 1974, helps communities

design and implement strategies for

facilitating adjustment to economic

changes that are causing or threaten to

cause serious structural damage to the

underlying economic base. Such

changes may occur suddenly or over

time, and result from industrial or

corporate restructuring, reduction in

defense expenditures, natural disasters,

depletion of natural resources, or new

federal laws or requirements. EAP

grants provide such communities with

the critical resources necessary to

organize and carry out adjustment

strategies tailored to their particular

economic problems and opportunities.

EDA economic adjustment assistance

may fund, for example, strategic

planning, technical assistance,

construction of critical infrastructure, or

establishment of a revolving loan fund

(RLF). To date, EDA has invested

approximately $2.2 billion in EAP.

The fundamental impact of an EAP

investment should be the economic

adjustment of the target area. Much of

that impact will occur a considerable

time after the investment is made. The

proposed research should determine the

extent to which target communities

have begun (or achieved) structural

economic adjustment, factors that affect

the length of time needed to achieve full

adjustment, and the contribution that

the EAP investment made (or did not

make) in stimulating or enabling

positive structural economic change

within a community.

In recent years EDA has funded

independent evaluations of EAP’s

responses to Hurricane Andrew and to

the Midwest Flood of 1993, both of

which focused on short-term program

implementation. It also funded a

preliminary assessment of the impact of

defense adjustment investments. An

evaluation of the long-term impact of

EAP RLF investments will be completed

shortly. The evaluation proposed here

will complement, but not duplicate,

these evaluations.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will develop a methodology

for determining and evaluating the

economic impact of EAP investments in

achieving structural economic

adjustment. In doing so, the applicant

will examine such issues as whether the

adjustment strategy was the appropriate

one, i.e., was the underlying adjustment

strategy rational, realistic, and

responsive to the structural dislocation;

was the most appropriate tool or mix of

tools (planning, technical assistance,

RLF, infrastructure) used; was the

community committed to following the

strategy? The research should also

evaluate whether the success or failure

to achieve structural economic

adjustment correlates with

implementation of the economic

adjustment strategy, i.e., whether the

strategy itself was an appropriate one, or

whether the economic adjustment

happened due to other factors. The

applicant will conduct the evaluation

using a sample group of projects. The

sample should be stratified to include

investments made under EDA’s (a)

regular EAP, (b) Defense adjustment,

and (c) other special initiatives,

including disaster relief. The final

report must fully document the

methodology used for the project. The

results must be presented in up to seven

briefings and/or training workshops as

set forth in Section IV.C. below.

Cost: The total EDA share of the cost

of this project may not exceed $300,000.

Timing: This project must be

completed and the final report

submitted within one year of approval

of the project.

• Reviews of Economic Development

Literature and Practice

EDA invites proposals to review the

literature and practical experience

regarding issues of critical importance

to economic development practitioners

nationally.

Background: One of EDA’s main

functions is to disseminate high-quality

Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices 28041

information about economic

development policies, issues, strategies,

and techniques to practitioners. EDA

fulfills this function by a number of

means, including newsletters,

conferences, use of the Internet, and

targeted research. This project will help

present important and emerging

theoretical issues to practitioners and

policy makers.

EDA is especially interested in

reviews supporting EDA’s core

programs and initiatives. Examples

include: e-commerce, productivity

enhancement through infrastructure

investment, leveraging of private

investment for regional economic

development, and technology-led

economic development. EDA, however,

welcomes other topics of importance to

domestic economic development.

Completed reviews must be analytical

and should identify important policy

implications. They must be prepared for

practitioners rather than an academic

audience. EDA expects researchers to

demonstrate familiarity with the

proposed topic and ability to conduct a

timely, thorough, and objective review.

EDA anticipates making multiple

awards, but will not make multiple

awards to any individual researcher.

Authors are encouraged to submit the

final review paper for publication as

described below.

Scope of Work: Successful applicants

will: (1) Prepare a review paper that (a)

describes and analyzes critically, key

debates in the literature, analytical

techniques of broad importance to

practitioners and/or the range of

experience with specific economic

development strategies; (b) identifies

important policy implications of the

research; (c) represents original research

not previously submitted for publication

elsewhere; (d) is of length and quality

suitable for publication in a peerreviewed journal; and (e) is written in

a style appropriate for practitioners. (2)

Conduct up to three presentations as

described in Section IV.C. below.

Cost: EDA may provide funding

totaling up to $75,000 for all reviews

funded under this RFP. The total EDA

share of the cost for any single review

may not exceed $20,000. Should

additional funding become available,

EDA may increase the total funding for

this RFP. EDA anticipates that most

proposals will be in the range of $10,000

to $15,000.

Timing: EDA anticipates that most

reviews will take six months or less, but

recognizes that this will vary with the

nature of the research. All projects must

be completed and the review paper

must be submitted within nine months

of project approval. Presentations may

take place up to one year after the

research paper is submitted.

• Economic Development Needs of

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

in Distressed Areas

Background: Executive Order 13125,

signed on June 7, 1999, seeks to improve

the quality of life for Asian Americans

and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) by, among

other things, increasing their

participation in federal programs where

they may be underserved. The U.S.

Department of Commerce seeks to

identify the locations of and economic

development problems facing

communities with significant AAPI

populations. Where a community with a

significant AAPI population also has a

significant population of other

minorities, the research should address

the problems common to all minority

groups in the community as well as

those unique to the AAPI population.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will (1) identify the location

of distressed communities that are

composed primarily of AAPI

populations; (2) identify and assess the

special economic development

challenges these distressed AAPI

communities face; (3) prepare a final

report that summarizes the research

findings; and (4) conduct up to three

briefings and/or training workshops as

set forth in Section IV.C. below.

Cost: The total EDA share of the cost

of this project may not exceed $75,000.

Timing: The project should be

completed and the final research report

submitted within six months of project

approval.

• Information Dissemination in

Distressed Urban Communities

Background: As part of its ongoing

mission to assist economically

distressed areas, EDA supports projects

that disseminate information to

economic development practitioners

serving America’s distressed

communities.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will undertake information

dissemination activities that:

• Are targeted at a national audience

of economic development practitioners

working in America’s distressed urban

communities;

• Take greater advantage of new

technologies for information

dissemination (Internet,

videoconferencing, e-mail, etc.);

• Identify and provide information in

new or emerging areas of economic

development needed by practitioners

serving distressed urban areas;

• Support the development and

greater understanding of new economic

development tools and national, state,

and local programs designed to relieve

urban economic distress; and

• Influence economic development

outcomes by improving the quality,

accessibility, and timeliness of critical

information available to economic

development practitioners.

Each proposal submitted must:

(1) Identify and describe the target

audience and the reason(s) why the

proposed information dissemination

activity is necessary;

(2) Describe how the organization

plans to achieve the proposed target

audience penetration;

(3) Describe the types of information

that will be disseminated;

(4) Justify why the proposed activity

should be federally funded;

(5) Describe the economic

development outcomes or activities that

will be influenced by the information

dissemination efforts; and

(6) For activities proposed for

multiyear funding (up to three years

maximum), justify the need for such

funding.

Cost: A total of $125,000 is available

for this project. EDA anticipates funding

only one information dissemination

project under this RFP.

Timing: The award made under this

RFP is for one year. However, it may be

eligible for multiyear funding, i.e.,

renewable for two additional years after

the initial award is made, at the same or

lower annual project cost, subject to

funding availability, satisfactory

performance under the initial and, if

applicable, subsequent award, and at

the sole discretion of EDA.

Additional Requirements: (1) The

proposed project should not be

primarily for the benefit of the grantee,

narrowly focused organizations, or

localized geographic areas.

(2) The grantee shall participate in up

to three EDA conferences each year.

Locations and dates of the conferences

attended shall be at EDA’s sole

discretion.

II. How To Apply

A. Eligible Applicants

Eligible applicants are as follows:

Institutions of higher education;

consortiums of institutions of higher

education; public or private nonprofit

organizations or associations acting in

cooperation with officials of a political

subdivision of a state, for-profit

organizations, and private individuals;

areas meeting requirements under 13

CFR 301.2; Economic Development

Districts; Indian tribes; consortiums of

Indian tribes; states, cities, or other

political subdivisions of a state;

28042 Federal Register / Vol. 66, No. 98 / Monday, May 21, 2001 / Notices

consortiums of political subdivisions of

states.

B. Proposal Submission Procedures

Each proposal submitted must

include:

(1) A description of how the

researcher(s) intend(s) to carry out the

scope of work (not to exceed 10 pages

in length);

(2) A proposed budget and

accompanying explanation;

(3) Resumes/qualifications of key staff

(not to exceed two pages per individual,

with an additional two pages allowed

for a single summary description of all

organizations/consultants named in the

proposal); and

(4) A proposed schedule for

completion of the project.

EDA will not accept proposals

submitted by FAX. Proposals received

after 4:00 p.m. EDT on June 20, 2001,

will not be considered.

III. Selection Process and Evaluation

Criteria

All proposals must meet EDA’s

statutory and regulatory requirements.

Proposals will receive initial review by

EDA to assure that they meet all

requirements of this RFP and applicable

provisions of 13 CFR Chapter III,

including, for example, eligibility and

relevance to the specified project as

described herein. EDA’s general

selection process and criteria are set out

in 13 CFR 304.1, 304.2, and 307.10.

Proposals that do not meet all items

required or that exceed the page

limitations of Section II.B. of this RFP,

will be considered nonresponsive.

Proposals that do meet these

requirements will be evaluated by a

review panel comprised of at least three

members all of whom will be full-time

federal employees. The panel will carry

out its selection process using the

following criteria:

(1) The quality of a proposal’s

response to the Scope of Work and other

requirements described in Section I

above;

(2) The ability of the prospective

applicant to successfully carry out the

proposed activities; and

(3) Cost to the federal government.

If a proposal is selected, EDA will

provide the proponent with an

Application for Federal Assistance

(OMB Control Number 0610–0094).

Notwithstanding any other provision of

law, no person is required to respond to,

nor shall a person be subject to, a

penalty for failure to comply with a

collection of information subject to the

requirements of the Paperwork

Reduction Act, unless that collection of

information displays a currently valid

OMB Control Number.

IV. Additional Information

A. Authority

The Public Works and Economic

Development Act of 1965, as amended

(Pub. L. 89–136, 42 U.S.C. 3121 et seq.),

including the comprehensive

amendments by the Economic

Development Administration Reform

Act of 1998 (Pub. L. 105–393) (PWEDA)

authorizes EDA to make grants for

training, research, and technical

assistance, including grants for program

evaluation and project impact analyses,

that would be useful in alleviating or

preventing conditions of excessive

unemployment or underemployment

(42 U.S.C. 3147, Section 207). Public

Law 106–553 makes funds available for

this program.

B. Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance

11.303 Economic Development

Technical Assistance.

11.312 Research and Evaluation.

C. Program Description

For a description of this program see

PWEDA and 13 CFR Chapter III, § 307

Subpart C.

EDA assistance is focused on areas

experiencing significant economic

distress, defined principally as per

capita income of 80 percent or less of

the national average; or an

unemployment rate that is, for the most

recent 24-month period for which data

are available, at least one percent greater

than the national average; or a special

need, as determined by EDA.

Costs

Ordinarily, the applicant is expected

to provide a 50% non-federal share of

project costs. However, EDA may reduce

or waive the required 50% matching

share of the total project costs, provided

the applicant can demonstrate: (1) The

project is not feasible without and the

project merits such a reduction or

waiver, or (2) the project is addressing

major causes of distress in the area

serviced and requires the unique

characteristics of the applicant, which

will not participate if it must provide all

or part of a 50% non-federal share, or

(3) the project is for the benefit of local,

state, regional, or national economic

development efforts, and will be of no

or only incidental benefit to the

recipient, or (4) the requirements of 13

CFR § 301.4(b) (table) are satisfied (see

13 CFR § 307.11).

Briefings and Reports

Three of the projects described in this

RFP include a requirement that the

successful applicant(s) conduct

briefings and/or training workshops for

individuals and organizations interested

in the project results. The completion

dates set forth above are only for

completion of the project and

submission of the written report.

Briefings/workshops will take place no

later than one year after submission of

the final report. Locations and dates of

the briefings/workshops are at EDA’s

sole discretion. Usually these consist of

at least one briefing in Washington, DC,

with the other briefings/workshops held

in conjunction with one or more of

EDA’s regional conferences.

Unless otherwise noted, each award

includes a requirement that the

applicant submit an electronic version

and 500 hard copies of the final report

in formats acceptable to EDA.

D. Other Requirements

See EDA’s Notice of Funding

Availability for FY 2001 (66 FR 15001ff,

3/14/2001) for additional information

and requirements (available on the

Internet at http://www.doc.gov/eda/

html/1d_fund_prog.htm, under the

heading ‘‘Notices of Funding

Availability.’’

This notice has been determined to be

not significant for purposes of Executive

Order 12866.

Dated: May 15, 2001.

David L. Temple, Jr.,

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Program

Operations.

[FR Doc. 01–12671 Filed 5–18–01; 8:45am]

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