31782 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 120 / Thursday, June 20, 1996 / Notices

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Economic Development

Administration

[Docket No. 950302065–6173–03]

RIN 0610–ZA03

National Technical Assistance,

Research and Evaluation—Request for

Proposals

AGENCY: Economic Development

Administration (EDA), Department of

Commerce (DoC).

ACTION: Notice of availability of funds.

SUMMARY: A total of $328,500,000 is

available to EDA for all of its programs

for FY 1996 (See Notice of Funding

Availability for FY 1996 at 61 FR

29526), of which approximately

$2,125,000 (including funds to be

transferred to EDA from the Department

of Defense’s Office of Economic

Adjustment, DOD/OEA,) is or will be

available for National Technical

Assistance and for Research and

Evaluation for specific projects which

will aid in better understanding the

causes of and solutions to economic

distress/underemployment and

unemployment throughout the Nation

in the specific priority areas described

herein. Additional funding may or may

not be available. EDA issues this Notice

describing the conditions under which

eligible applications for these National

Technical Assistance under 13 CFR Part

307, Subpart C, and Research and

Evaluation under 13 CFR Part 307,

Subpart D, projects will be accepted and

selected for funding. EDA is soliciting

proposals for the specific projects

described herein which will be funded

if acceptable proposals are received.

Remaining funding, if any, may be used

to fund additional projects.

DATES: Prospective applicants are

advised that EDA will conduct a preproposal conference on June 27, 1996, at

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

Commerce, Herbert C. Hoover Building,

14th & Constitution Avenue, N.W.,

Washington, D.C. 20230, Room 7419, at

which time questions on the National

Technical Assistance and Research and

Evaluation projects can be answered.

Please provide written questions (See

Addresses section below) by June 24,

1996. Background information packets

relevant to each of the projects will be

made available.

Initial proposals for funding under

this program will be accepted through

July 22, 1996. Initial proposals received

after that time will not be considered for

funding.

By July 22, 1996, EDA will advise

successful proponents to submit full

applications, (containing complete

proposals as part of the application)

OMB Control Number 0610–0094.

Completed applications must be

submitted to EDA by August 15, 1996.

EDA will make these awards no later

than September 30, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Send initial proposals and

full applications, as applicable, to

either: Lewis R. Podolske, Acting

Director, Technical Assistance Program,

Economic Development Administration,

Room 7315, U.S. Department of

Commerce, Washington, D.C. 200230

(National Technical Assistance); or John

J. McNamee, Acting Director, Research

and Evaluation Program, Economic

Development Administration, Room

7315, U.S. Department of Commerce,

Washington, D.C. 20230 (Research and

Evaluation).

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Lewis R. Podolske, (202) 482–2127

(National Technical Assistance); or John

J. McNamee, (202) 482–4085 (Research

and Evaluation).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Introduction

A. Authority

The Public Works and Economic

Development Act of 1965, (Pub. L. 89–

136, 42 U.S.C. 3121–3246h), as

amended (PWEDA) at § 3151 authorizes

EDA as follows: to provide technical

assistance which would be useful in

reducing or preventing excessive

unemployment or underemployment by

conducting, among other things, studies

evaluating the needs of, and the

development of potential for economic

growth in distressed areas (42 U.S.C.

3151(a)); and a program of research to

assist in the formulation and

implementation of national, state and

local programs to raise income levels

and other solutions to the problems of

unemployment, underemployment,

underdevelopment and chronic

depression in distressed areas and

regions (42 U.S.C. 3151(c)(B)). The

Omnibus Appropriations Act of 1996,

Public Law 104–134, makes funds

available for these programs.

B. Catalog of Federal Domestic

Assistance

11.303 Economic DevelopmentTechnical Assistance; 11.312 Economic

Development—Research and Evaluation

Program.

C. Program Descriptions

For descriptions of these programs see

EDA’s final rule at 13 CFR chapter III,

61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as corrected

at 61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and its

interim-final rule at 60 FR 49670,

September 26, 1995.

D. Additional Information and

Requirements

No award of Federal funds will be

made to an applicant who has an

outstanding delinquent Federal debt

until either: 1. The delinquent account

is paid in full; 2. A negotiated

repayment schedule is established and

at least one payment is received; or 3.

Other arrangements satisfactory to DoC

are made.

Unsatisfactory performance under

prior Federal awards may result in an

application not being considered for

funding.

Applicants seeking an early start, i.e.,

to begin a project before EDA approval,

must obtain a letter from EDA allowing

such early start. Such approval may be

given with the understanding that an

early start does not constitute project

approval. Applicants should be aware

that if they incur any costs prior to an

award being made they do so 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 EDA to cover

pre-award costs.

The total dollar amount of the indirect

costs proposed in an application under

any EDA program must not exceed

either the indirect cost rate negotiated

and approved by a cognizant Federal

agency prior to the proposed effective

date of the award, or 100 percent of the

total proposed direct costs dollar

amount in the application, which ever

is less.

If an application is selected for

funding, EDA has no obligation to

provided any additional future funding

in connection with an award. Renewal

of an award to increase funding or

extend the period of performance is at

the sole discretion of EDA.

Unless otherwise noted below,

eligibility, program objectives and

descriptions, application procedures,

selection procedures, evaluation criteria

and other requirements for all programs

are set forth in EDA’s final rule at 13

CFR Chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1,

1996, as corrected at 61 FR 15371, April

8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at 60

FR 49670, September 26, 1995.

II. Areas of Special Emphasis

EDA seeks proposals for the specific

projects described as follows:

A. National Technical Assistance

Program

• State Technology Planning.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 120 / Thursday, June 20, 1996 / Notices 31783

EDA invites technical assistance

proposals pertaining to innovative and

useful science and technology planning

programs by states to assist distressed

communities.

Background: EDA awards planning

grants under section 302(a) of PWEDA,

(42 U.S.C. 3151a(a)) to strengthen the

economic development planning

capability of states, cities and substate

entities to ensure a more productive use

of resources in reducing the effect of

economic problems, particularly those

resulting in high unemployment and

low incomes. EDA has awarded

approximately 15 state grants since 1990

that relate to state technology planning

as a tool for economic development. The

scopes of work of these grants, the

project files and final reports are

available at the six EDA regional offices.

Other Federal programs also provide

assistance to states to prepare statewide

technology plans. Among these

programs are the U.S. Department of

Commerce (DoC) National Institute of

Standards and Technology’s State

Technology Extension Program (STEP),

and the National Science Foundation’s

Experimental Program to Stimulate

Competitive Research (EPSCoR). In

addition, other technology plans have

been developed by national

organizations, by states, or as regional or

local efforts.

Scope of Work: Under this grant

award the recipient is expected to

canvas the universe of planning efforts

undertaken by states to use science and

technology to assist distressed

communities to enhance their economic

development capabilities. As part of the

project, the recipient must review EDA

and other Federal and state efforts to

promote the establishment of science

and technology plans that support

regional, state, or substate economic

development. The task will include the

review of project files, final reports, and

plans, and interviews with staff by

means of site visits and telephone

conversations.

Science and technology plans

compiled during the canvass may

encompass coordination of data bases,

education plans related to technology,

manufacturing extension services,

telecommunications improvement and

coordination, electronic commerce,

business development using cyberspace,

or other objectives. The recipient of this

award is expected to compare and

evaluate these science and technology

plans for their impact on distressed

areas, the best practices employed in

targeting distressed areas, their

innovative approach, their successful

implementation, their economic

development impact, and their

replicability in other states.

The resulting data must be

appropriately analyzed and the results,

with recommendations as appropriate,

presented in a final report to be

available for use by all states and other

interested parties.

The applicant will also be required to

conduct briefings and training

workshops for organizations interested

in using the approaches compiled and

examined under this project. These

briefings and training workshops will be

conducted in Washington, D.C., and the

six EDA regional offices and will total

no more than one such briefing/

workshop for each of the seven

locations.

Cost: If properly justified, the

Assistant Secretary may consider a

waiver of the required 25 percent local

share of the total project cost.

Timing: The project should be

completed and the final report

submitted by March 31, 1997.

• Impact of Incubator Investments.

EDA invites technical assistance

proposals to develop criteria to evaluate

the impact of the incubator on the

community.

Background: In North America there

are about 540 business incubation

programs serving more than 8,000 inhouse clients and affiliates. Over 5,000

companies have ‘‘graduated’’ from these

incubation programs. Fifty-three percent

of the incubators are considered urban,

28 percent rural, and 19 percent

suburban. The basic types of incubators

are: mixed use 47 percent, technology

20 percent, light manufacturing 13

percent, service 9 percent and micro

enterprise/empowerment 11 percent.

Local, state and Federal Government

agencies, economic development

agencies, colleges and universities, forprofit firms, nonprofit organizations

such as neighborhood revitalization

organizations, as well as combinations

of all these groups have provided

financial assistance to construct and

operate business incubation programs.

Each sponsor may have its own goals for

participation in the incubation

programs. These goals may include

diversification of the economy,

development or expansion of small

business sector of the local economy,

increased employment and income in

general and sometimes in specific

neighborhoods, increased property

usage and values, business retention,

maintenance of population in particular

areas, transfer of technology from

universities and research laboratories,

and development of a targeted

technology infrastructure.

Many incubation programs fail to

keep records of incubator outcomes

related to firm growth, employment,

revenues, achievements of goals, and

other community benefits. This may be

due to failure to develop evaluation

criteria, or the lack of resources to

measure performance and determine

outcomes. This project may require the

development of performance measures

and outcomes in such instances to be

used by economic development

organizations.

Most performance outcome

information that will be developed or

gathered will provide only a ‘‘score’’ of

how well the characteristic being

measured is doing. Outcome indicators,

in general, will not tell the extent to

which the program has actually caused

the observed outcomes. Only a

substantive in-depth program evaluation

can determine the extent to which

program activity caused the measured

results—the impact of the program on

the local economy.

An incubator’s impact on a local

community and economy comes from

its ability to create a dynamic

environment for the creation of new

enterprises, and hence, new work.

These goals are rarely realized over the

time-span a firm is in an incubator, but

extend into the long-term because of the

nature of the business development

cycle. Therefore, the goal of an external

evaluation should be to determine

progress toward long-term

developmental goals. Proposals sought

hereby will determine the appropriate

evaluation methodology for the impact

of various kinds of incubation programs

on their local economies.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will: (1) develop performance

measures for different types of incubator

programs if not already available; (2)

test the measures against a

representative sample of 50 to 100

diverse incubator programs; (3)

determine and analyze in depth the

impact of the incubator investments on

the local economy; (4) prepare a final

report on the methodology developed

and the analysis performed, as well as

the long-term policy implications of

different kinds of incubation programs;

and (5) conduct briefings and training

workshops in Washington, D.C., and

EDA’s six Regional Offices on the

methodology developed, the analysis

performed and the policy implications

and will total no more than one such

briefing/workshop for each of the seven

locations.

Cost: If properly justified, the

Assistant Secretary may consider a

waiver of the required 25 percent local

share of the total project cost.
31784 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 120 / Thursday, June 20, 1996 / Notices

Timing: The project should be

completed and the final report

submitted by June 30, 1997.

B. Research and Evaluation Program

• Performance Measure Testing and

Impact of Public Infrastructure

Investments.

EDA invites a research and evaluation

proposal pertaining to performance

measurement testing and the impact of

public infrastructure investments. The

primary purpose of this project is to

develop a methodology that local, state

and other Federal agencies can adapt

and replicate to analyze the impacts that

result from their public infrastructure

and other investments. The test subjects

for this project will be EDA grant

projects. There are dual components.

Each component has its own scope of

work and deadline, although the two

components are inherently related. The

two components are:

(I) Performance Measure Testing—to

gather and analyze data to test newlydeveloped program core performance

measures; and (II) Impact of Public

Infrastructure Investment—to develop

and test a methodology for determining

the impacts (economic benefits)

resulting from public infrastructure

investments on local economies. While

the ultimate objective is a workable

methodology, an essential prerequisite

is the determination of the effectiveness

of performance measures.

I. Performance Measure Testing—

Background: EDA has recently

established a core set of performance

measures for each of its grant program

areas. These measures can be tested by

reviewing two groups of projects that

have been approved in previous years to

determine the extent to which these

specific performance measures are valid

or need refining. The project will

involve a review of project files,

interviews with EDA staff and grantees,

site visits, surveys (written or phone),

etc. The resulting data must be

appropriately analyzed and the results

presented in a separate final report for

each group of projects.

A. The Performance Measures. The

following core measures are to be tested

under this project:

• Performance and outcomes at

project completion—Construction

Projects.

1. Construction schedule met as to

start and finish dates.

2. Private sector dollars invested in

the EDA Project (proposed, at time of

approval).

3. Private sector dollars invested in

the EDA project (actual, at time of

completion).

4. Other dollars (Federal, state and

local) invested in the EDA Project.

5. Other dollars invested (nonfederal,

local and private) directly related to, but

not part of the EDA Project.

6. Local capacity improved

Diversification of local economy.

7. Local capacity improved: Intended

beneficiary(ies) actually established in

the community.

• Performance and outcomes at

project completion—Capacity-Building

Projects.

1. For Research/Evaluation and

Technical Assistance projects: Project

start and finish dates met.

2. For Planning projects: Annual

update of Overall Economic

Development Program (OEDP)

completed.

3. For all capacity-building projects,

grantee comment: with 1 to 10 (10=best)

numerical response for following

questions:

a. Quality of local OEDP/Adjustment

Assistance (Title IX) Strategy.

b. Extent of participation by

government, business and community

leaders, i.e., building of community

partnerships.

c. Extent projects implemented are

based on OEDP/Title IX Strategy.

d. Quality of evaluation or feasibility

study.

e. Impact of feasibility study on

project planning.

• Performance and outcomes at

project completion—Revolving Loan

Fund (RLF) Projects.

1. Implementation schedule for

disbursement of RLF dollars met.

2. Jobs created and retained (actual)

through RLF loans.

3. Number of businesses assisted by

the RLF.

4. Non-EDA dollars invested.

a. Private sector dollars invested.

b. Other dollars invested.

5. RLF capital base (grant+local

share+net income generated—writeoffs).

• Project outcomes at 2 and 4 years

after completion—Construction Projects.

1. Jobs created and retained, as

estimated on application.

2. Jobs created and retained—actual.

3. Private sector dollars invested in

the EDA project—actual.

4. Other dollars (Federal, state and

local) invested in the EDA project—

actual.

5. Other dollars invested (nonfederal,

local and private) directly related to, but

not part of the EDA project.

6. Other dollars invested indirectly

related to the EDA project.

7. Increase in local tax base

(percentage) (actual or based on

recognized multiplier).

Project outcomes at 2 and 4 years after

completion—Capacity-Building

Projects.

For all capacity-building projects,

grantee comment: with 1 to 10 (10-best)

numerical response for following

questions:

1. Quality of local OEDP/Title IX

Strategy.

2. Extent of participation by

government, business and community

leaders, i.e., building of community

partnerships.

3. Extent projects implemented are

based on OEDP/Title IX Strategy.

4. Quality of evaluation or feasibility

study.

5. Impact of feasibility study on

project planning.

• Project outcomes at 2 and 4 years

after completion—RLF Projects.

1. Jobs created and retained (actual)

through RLF loans.

2. Number of businesses assisted by

the RLF.

3. Private sector dollars invested.

4. Other dollars invested.

5. RLF capital base (grants+local

share+net income generated—writeoffs).

B. The Projects. The core measures are

to be tested on the following two groups

of projects:

1. Fiscal Year (FY) completed Public

Works projects.

Under its Public Works program, EDA

makes infrastructure grants to help

distressed communities generate longterm, private sector jobs and diversity

their economies. Among the types of

projects funded are water and sewer

facilities, access roads to industrial

sites, and business incubator buildings.

The universe of projects for the analysis

sought is approximately 175 EDA public

works grants for which final

construction activities and project

closeout were completed between

October 1, 1989, and September 30,

1990. The individual projects are

located throughout the U.S. The project

files are retained in the six EDA regional

offices.

2. Defense Adjustment Assistance

Projects.

Under this program EDA makes grants

to help communities design and

implement strategies for adjustment to

changes in their economic situation that

cause or threaten to cause serious

structural damage to their economic

base due to defense downsizing or base

closures. Grants under this program

include infrastructure improvements

similar to those in 1 above, strategicallytargeted business development and

financial assistance, assistance for

developing adjustment strategies

(planning), or technical assistance.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 120 / Thursday, June 20, 1996 / Notices 31785

This group of projects includes grants

approved in FY 1993 through FY 1995

as follows:

FY 1993 36 projects for $48 million

FY 1994 81 projects for $162 million

FY 1995 73 projects for $135 million

Many of these grants are currently

active, that is, the grant-funded project

is not yet completed. The projects are

located throughout the U.S. The project

files are retained in the six EDA regional

offices.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will determine, on both a

project-by-project basis and in the

aggregate, the extent to which the two

groups of projects met the core

performance measurement standards

that EDA has established, how effective

the standards measure the program’s

performance, and what adjustments to

the core measures may be necessary

based on this analysis.

In separate final reports on the public

works and defense adjustment

assistance project components, the

applicant must fully document how the

tests were conducted and provide the

basis for any changes recommended.

The applicant will also be required to

conduct briefings and training

workshops for organizations interested

in learning about the results of the

performance measurement project.

These workshops will be conducted in

Washington, and in EDA’s six regional

offices and will total no more than one

such briefing/workshop for each of the

seven locations.

Cost: No local share match is required

for this project. Half of the funding for

the testing of performance measures on

the defense program will be provided by

the Office of Economic Adjustment of

the Department of Defense.

Timing: This component of the

project should be completed and the

final reports submitted by February 28,

1997.

II. Impact of Public Infrastructure

Investments—Backgrounds: The Federal

Government and states administer

several grant programs that provide

financial assistance to communities for

constructing or expanding public

infrastructure facilities, although only

EDA projects and performance measures

are being analyzed in this project. These

grant programs may strive toward

various social goals, such as ensuring

the availability of safe drinking water by

replacing water lines, expanding

communications links by building or

maintaining public highways, or, in the

case of the EDA public works program,

reducing economic distress by fostering

the creation of new employment

opportunities. Some of these programs

have begun to measure their own

performances. EDA has developed and

will apply a core set of performance

measures to its programs on a

prospective basis beginning October 1,

1996. These measures are expected to

produce quantifiable outcomes of EDA’s

programs.

The component of this two-part

project described in the previous section

will test EDA’s core performance

measures to gain knowledge for the

economic development community of

how performance measures can be

applied, tested, analyzed and adjusted.

Most outcomes measured by the core

performance measures, however, will

provide only a ‘‘score’’ of how well the

particular characteristics being

measured are doing. The outcome

indicators will not generally tell the

extent to which the program has

actually caused the observed outcomes.

Only a substantive in-depth program

evaluation can reasonably uncover the

link between performance indicators

and program activities. There is,

moreover, no widely accepted

methodology for determining the

economic and social benefits—the

economic impacts on the local

community—that actually result from

public works infrastructure investments.

Previous evaluations of EDA’s public

works program have suggested that

criteria such as project utilization, job

creation/retention efficiency, job

quality, shift-share analysis, attribution

(whether EDA’s contribution was

necessary for the implementation of the

project), related private sector

investments, increases in the tax

revenues, and other outcomes could be

used to measure the economic impact of

public works projects on the local

economy. The second component of this

project will develop an appropriate

methodology for evaluating the

economic impacts of EDA’s

infrastructure investments.

Much of the economic impacts from

public infrastructure investments are

believed to occur a considerable time

after the completion of project

construction. To maximize the

probability that these impacts will have

been realized, EDA proposes that

approximately 175 EDA public works

grants, for which final construction

activities and project closeout were

completed between October 1, 1989 and

September 30, 1990, serve as the

universe for this economic impact

analysis. This is the same group of

projects referred to in I.B.1. above.

In the development of the

methodology, EDA suggests that the

analysis of impacts be targeted and

focused to realistic boundaries within

which economic impacts on a local

economy can reasonable be attributed to

the EDA infrastructure investment. In

many instances, the area of measurable

and reasonably attributable impacts may

be smaller than traditional areas of

socioeconomic measurement such as

city or county or state boundaries.

Boundaries targeted for this analysis

may have to be focused down to the

level of census tracts. In the process of

conducting the analysis, developing the

methodology and subsequently testing it

upon the specified universe of

infrastructure projects, therefore, EDA

expects the recipient to limit to the

greater extent possible any broad-scale

comparison of local impacts to

unreasonably large and/or national

boundaries.

Communities that received grants

under the public works program are

dispersed across the Nation. The project

files for these grants are located in

EDA’s six regional offices.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will develop a methodology

for determining and measuring the

economic impacts of specific public

infrastructure investments. The

methodology will be tested on the

previously-mentioned 175 EDA public

works grants completed in FY 1990.

EDA expects the methodology to reflect

the core measures that will be applied

to EDA’s programs, as well as other

relevant measures suggested by the

analysis of the public works projects.

The final report must fully document

the methodology used for the project as

well as revisions suggested by testing

the methodology on the 175 public

works projects. Actual impacts

identified for each of the 175 public

works projects must also be documented

in the final report.

The applicant will also be required to

conduct briefings and training

workshops for organizations interested

in using the methodology developed

under this project. These briefings and

training workshops will be conducted in

Washington, D.C., and the six EDA

regional offices and will total no more

than one such briefing/workshop for

each of the seven locations.

Cost: No local match is required for

this project.

Timing: This second component of

the project should be completed and the

final report submitted by June 30, 1997.

• Performance Measurement

Bibliography.

EDA invites research proposals to

develop an annotated bibliography of

current literature on economic

development performance measurement

and economic impact studies.
31786 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 120 / Thursday, June 20, 1996 / Notices

Background: With the current

emphasis on improved program

performance measured by results,

service quality, and customer

satisfaction, economic development

funders at the Federal, state and local

level are faced with the challenge of

developing measures and methods for

determining how well their programs

perform. EDA has recently established a

program performance and evaluation

system to measure the output and

outcomes of its program funding. This

system builds on existing efforts at

measuring the performance of economic

development programs at the Federal

and state levels.

The bibliography should chronicle the

universal principles and standards for

measuring the outcomes and impacts of

economic development investments,

with reference to current and recent

benchmarking, performance

measurement and economic impact

studies.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will (1) survey current and

recent literature on economic

development performance measurement

and impact studies; (2) organize the

literature in appropriate groupings; (3)

in a final report, provide brief comments

on the content of each article or book;

(4) assemble a prototype public library

containing copy of each article or book

included in the annotated bibliography,

including a computer disk version,

where available, for inclusion in a

future on-line public library; and (5)

conduct a briefing on the findings in the

Washington, D.C., office of EDA.

Cost: No local match is required for

this project.

Timing: This project should be

completed and the final report

submitted by December 31, 1996.

• EDA/DOD–OEA/Federal

Government Role in Cluster-Based

Economic Development.

EDA invites research and evaluation

proposals to determine the role EDA,

the Department of Defense’s Office of

Economic Adjustment (DOD/ OEA) or

other Federal agencies might play in

promoting cluster development as an

economic development tool,

particularly as it relates to defense

conversion.

Background: Industry or business

clusters are important economic

development tools to the extent that

they facilitate regional competitive

advantages in the development and

production of high-value, large-market

goods or services. Some proponents

suggest that a successful cluster

development requires the presence of

three specific elements: (1)

Collaborative and competitive networks

that form the supporting infrastructure

for technology-based businesses; (2) a

strong, basic manufacturing base

characterized by multiple competing

firms rather than several large, vertically

integrated firms; and (3) a strong

commitment among business and

government leaders to reinforcing the

region’s viability as a regional hub for

high value manufacturing.

EDA has promoted cluster

development as an economic

development tool in communities

whose economies have been adversely

affected by defense expenditures

reductions. In the case of flat panel

display development in Florida and

efficient pollution-free vehicle

development in California, EDA

provided funding to assist alreadyestablished, cluster-oriented

organizations construct or equip test

facilities for products produced by the

members of the organizations. California

organizations, including, but not limited

to the Goldstrike Partnership and

Regional Technology Alliance, Bay Area

Economic Forum, Joint Venture Silicon

Valley, and the High Technology

Council of Los Angeles, received EDA

funding for the development of a

collaborative process involving the

members of certain industries and

stakeholders. EDA also awarded DRI/

McGraw-Hill a grant to define and

identify the industry clusters that drive

the U.S. economy; explore the emerging

practices of states and regions in

fostering cluster development; and

convene the first national conference on

cluster-driven regional economic

development.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will (1) analyze the role of

cluster development in economic

development in general and in defense

adjustment, in particular; (2) document

the degree to which the three elements

thought to be necessary for cluster

development were present in the EDAsupported cluster development projects

and whether the EDA assistance

facilitated or followed the development

of those elements; (3) determine if all

three elements must be present for the

formation of a successful technologybased business or industry cluster; (4)

determine if, how, and at what cost

Federal support can influence the

development of those elements; (5)

estimate the time-frame required for the

development of those elements; (6)

suggest the appropriate role, if any, the

Federal Government should play in

promoting cluster development. The

applicant will be required to submit a

final report documenting its findings

from this project and to conduct

briefings and training workshops for

entities interested in the results of this

project. These briefings and training

workshops will be conducted in

Washington, D.C., and the six EDA

regional offices and will total no more

than one such briefing/workshop for

each of the seven locations.

In undertaking this analysis, the

applicant will review the cluster

projects that EDA has funded to identify

the various stages of organization and

project development of the cluster

process in different communities. This

will require examining EDA grant files

and contacting various people who were

involved in developing the clusteroriented organizations and projects.

Files for these projects are located in

EDA’s Seattle, Atlanta and Austin

regional offices.

Costs: No local match is required for

this project. Half of the funding for this

project will be provided by the Office of

Economic Adjustment (OEA) of the

Department of Defense.

Timing: The project should be

completed and final report submitted by

June 20, 1997.

• Leveraging Capital for Defense

Adjustment Infrastructure Assistance.

EDA invites research proposals to

examine the potential for new and

innovative techniques for leveraging

significant capital for increased defense

adjustment infrastructure assistance,

including construction related to

military base reuse.

Background: The capital required for

most defense adjustment infrastructure

(re)development exceeds the ability of

many communities to raise. Public

funding for defense adjustment

appropriation is modest compared with

the current need for infrastructure

assistance. This project would evaluate

and recommend, if appropriate,

alternative approaches to financing

defense adjustment infrastructure

projects, such as partially securing large

bond issues, or providing for the first

several years of payment on large bond

issues until new tenants, etc., can pick

up the costs. It would also evaluate

what role other Federal financing

mechanisms might play. The limitations

and feasibility of such alternatives are

not known, but could possibly serve to

greatly extend the impact of limited

defense program public works funds.

Scope of Work: The successful

applicant will (1) bring together a panel

of public and private sector financial

experts to explore the full range of

realistic, innovative financing

alternatives, and (2) prepare a

comprehensive report and conduct

briefings and training for interested

parties, which document the

alternatives and recommendations.
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 120 / Thursday, June 20, 1996 / Notices 31787

These briefings and training workshops

will be conducted in Washington, D.C.,

and the six EDA regional offices and

will total no more than one such

briefing/workshop for each of the seven

locations.

Cost: No local match is required for

this project. Half of the funding for this

report will be provided by DOD/OEA.

Timing: This project should be

completed and the final report

submitted by January 31, 1997.

III. How To Apply

A. Eligible Applicants

• National Technical Assistance—See

13 CFR 307.12 in EDA’s final rule at 13

CFR chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1,

1996, as corrected in 61 FR 15371, April

8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at 60

FR 49670, September 26, 1995. Eligible

applicants are as follows: public or

private nonprofit organizations

including nonprofit national, state, area,

district, or local organizations;

accredited educational institutions or

nonprofit entities representing them;

public sector organizations; and Native

American organizations, including

American Indian tribes; local

governments and state agencies.

Technical Assistance grant funds may

not be awarded to private individuals or

for-profit organizations.

• Research and Evaluation—See 13

CFR 307.17 in EDA’s final rule at 13

CFR chapter III, 61 FR 7979, March 1,

1996, as corrected in 61 FR 15371, April

8, 1996, and its interim-final rule at 60

FR 49670, September 26, 1995. Eligible

applicants are as follows: private

individuals, partnerships, corporations,

associations, colleges and universities,

and other suitable organizations with

expertise relevant to economic

development research.

B. Proposal Submission Procedures

The initial proposals submitted by

potential applicants may not exceed ten

pages in length and should be

accompanied by a proposed budget,

resumes/qualifications of the key staff,

and proposed time line.

IV. Selection Process and Evaluation

Criteria

Proposals will receive initial reviews

by EDA to assure that they meet all

requirements of this announcement,

including eligibility and relevance to

the specified projects as described

herein. The Office of Economic

Adjustment of the Department of

Defense will participate in evaluating

proposals submitted for the Cluster

Development and Leveraging Capital for

Defense Adjustment Infrastructure

Assistance projects described above. If a

proposal is selected, EDA will provide

proponent with an Application Form,

and EDA will carry out its selection

process and evaluation criteria as

described at 13 CFR part 304 and

§§ 307.13, 307.14, 307.18, and 307.19 in

EDA’s final rule at 13 CFR chapter III,

61 FR 7979, March 1, 1996, as corrected

in 61 FR 15371, April 8, 1996, and its

interim-final rule at 60 FR 49670,

September 26, 1995.

From the full proposals and

application, EDA will select the

applicants it deems most qualified and

cost effective. EDA anticipates that more

full proposals and applications will be

invited than will eventually be funded.

All project records are located in or

are accessible through the six EDA

regional offices. Unless otherwise

specified in other sections of this RFP,

EDA staff support will be limited to

providing access to the records.

Paperwork Reduction Act

OMB has approved these information

collection requirements under the

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 under

OMB Control Number 0610–AA47.

Dated: June 13, 1996.

Phillip A. Singerman,

Assistant Secretary for Economic

Development.

[FR Doc. 96–15531 Filed 6–17–96; 10:12 am]

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