B2B Prgm Announcement-2017_FINAL_CLEAN_w correction_01182017.pdf

U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD)

BOOTS TO BUSINESS (B2B): FROM SERVICE TO START-UP TRAINING

PROGRAM

FY 2017

Program Announcement No.

BOOTS TO BUSINESS-2017-01

The purpose of Program Announcement (PA) No. BOOTS TO BUSINESS-2017-01 is to invite proposals for funding from eligible non-profit organizations, state, local, and tribal government agencies, and institutions of higher learning to provide entrepreneurship training, curriculum updates, and program management support services for global delivery of the B2B two-day “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” classroom course (Intro) and the Foundations of Entrepreneurship online course (or comparable alternatives), which will require at a minimum: (1) providing a network of instructors to teach online courses globally; (2) providing a network of instructors to travel to and teach Intro at overseas military installations; (3) managing SBA-owned course curricula which requires continuous improvement and compatibility with Department of Defense (DOD) Transition

Assistance Program (TAP) governance’s curricula management process; and (4) B2B program evaluation plan and methodologies in support of OVBD’s strategic objectives.

Eligible organizations may submit no more than one (1) proposal that responds to one or more operational areas outlined in this PA. In other words, an applicant may apply for multiple areas of the PA (including all areas), or may select specific operational objectives. Please note that all applications must address Operational Objective 3

(Integration, Collaboration, and Partnership)in order to be deemed complete and responsive. A successful technical proposal will include communication and collaboration with SBA and its partners as central to its project approach in order to achieve the stated project objectives.

This program announcement depends on the availability of funding.

U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Veterans Business Development

Boots to Business (B2B): From Service to Start-Up Training Program Announcement No. B2B-2017-01

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U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Opening Date: January 13, 2017

Closing Date: February 17, 2017

Proposals responding to this Program Announcement (PA) must be posted to www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, February 17, 2017. No other submission will be permitted. Proposals received after the stipulated deadline will be rejected without being evaluated.

http://www.grants.gov/

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Table of Contents Table of Contents

1.0 Section I – Funding Opportunity Description

2.0 Section II – Award Information

3.0 Section III – Eligibility Information

4.0 Section IV – Application and Submission of Information

5.0 Section V – Application Review Information

6.0 Section VI – Award Administration Information

7.0 Section VII – Agency Contacts

8.0 Section VIII – Other Information

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1.0 Section I – Funding Opportunity Description

1.1 Program Overview

1.1.1 Federal Agency Name: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)

1.1.2 Funding Opportunity Title Boots to Business (B2B) Training Program

1.1.3 Announcement Type Initial

1.1.4 Funding Opportunity Number: Program Announcement No.B2B-2017-01

1.1.5 CDF Number: 59.044

1.1.6 Closing Date for Submission: January XX, 2017 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time

1.1.7 Authority: Section 9(b)(17) of the Small Business Act, 15 U.S.C. § 637(b)(17)

1.1.8 Duration of Funding: 5 Years

1.1.9 Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement

1.1.10 Funding: Funding is for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017

1.1.11 Award Amount/Funding Range: A maximum of $2.5 million in funding is available annually for up to five years. There is no minimum award amount. SBA anticipates awarding between one (1) and four

(4) cooperative agreements from this announcement, subject to the availability of funds, the quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations.

1.1.12 Project Duration: Awards will be made for a base project period of 12 months, with four option periods of 12 months each. Exercise of options is at SBA’s discretion and is subject to continuing program authority, quality of proposals received, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance by the Recipient organization.

1.1.13 Project Starting Date: Within 30 calendar days of the date of award.

1.1.14 Project Evaluation: Proposals will be reviewed for sufficiency as detailed in Section 5.0

1.1.15 Agency Programmatic Point of John Lira, U.S. Small Business Administration

Contact: Office of Veterans Business Development

Email: john.lira@sba.gov

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1.2 Introduction

Multiple statutes authorize or direct the SBA’s provision of services and programs to service members and veterans. SBA’s participation in transition assistance has expanded in recent years as the Administration and the U.S. Congress have focused on providing for this generation of veterans.

SBA is authorized by 15 U.S.C. § 637 (b)(17) (“The Small Business Act”) to make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with, educational institutions, private businesses, veterans’ nonprofit community-based organizations, and Federal, State, and local departments and agencies for the establishment and implementation of outreach programs for disabled veterans, veterans, and members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces. The Small Business Act also specifically requires the Associate

Administrator for OVBD to “increase veteran outreach by ensuring that Veteran Business

Outreach Centers (VBOCs) regularly participate, on a nationwide basis, in the workshops of the Transition Assistance Program…” (15 U.S.C. § 657 (d)(1)).

The Boots to Business (B2B) Program is a component of the benefits and services authorized for separating military Service members by 10 U.S.C. §§ 1141-1154. The

Secretary of Defense is required by 10 U.S.C. § 1142(b)(13) to provide “information concerning veterans small business ownership and entrepreneurship programs of the Small

Business Administration.” The Secretary of Labor, in conjunction with the Secretary of

Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is also required by 10 U.S.C. §1144(b)(5) to establish and maintain a program to “provide information and other assistance to such members in their efforts to obtain loans and grants from the Small Business Administration and other Federal, State, and local agencies.” To fulfill these requirements, the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of

Labor maintain an agreement with SBA. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the DOD, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), U.S. Department of Labor

(DOL), U.S. Department of Education (DoED), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), SBA, and Office of Personnel Management (OPM) outlines how SBA provides services to separating Service members through the redesigned transition assistance program (TAP).

The Veterans Entrepreneurship Act of 2015 expanded B2B benefits eligibility beyond transitioning service members and military spouses to all era veterans, dependents, and permanent caregivers.

1.3 Background

Since its inception in 1953, SBA has served to aid, counsel, assist and promote the interests of small businesses; while SBA is best known for its financial support of small businesses through its many lending programs, the Agency also plays a critical role in providing funding to organizations that deliver technical assistance in the form of counseling and training to small business concerns and nascent entrepreneurs in order to promote growth, expansion, innovation, increased productivity, and management improvements. The mission of SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development is to empower Veteran entrepreneurship by formulating, implementing, administering, and

6 | P a g e promoting policies and programs to equip veteran, service member (active duty, National

Guard, Reserve), and military spouse owned small businesses with counseling, training and education, access to capital, and contracting opportunities. OVBD’s B2B program supports service members transitioning to civilian life that are exploring self-employment

(i.e. business ownership) opportunities by providing them education and training on the key steps of evaluating business concepts and business plan development. Over time, SBA estimates that with continued B2B program support and access to other SBA resources, the number of veteran owned small businesses should rise substantially.

Please note throughout this PA, the term “veteran” will be used to refer to all parties eligible for B2B benefits, which includes transitioning service members, military spouses, veterans of all eras, dependents, and permanent caregivers.

1.4 Purpose

The B2B Program is a combination of a two-day Introduction to Entrepreneurship course taught in classrooms on military installations and an eight-week online Foundations of

Entrepreneurship course taught by a consortium of entrepreneurship professors and practitioners. The Introduction to Entrepreneurship course is Step One (1) of the B2B

Program, and consists of an on-base, two-day introductory course designed to introduce and orient participants to the vocation of business ownership. It is designed to assist transitioning service members and spouses to answer the question, “Is business ownership the right pathway for me, or my family?”

Step Two (2) of the Program – known as the “Foundations of Entrepreneurship”-- is best described as an applied skills training model designed to prepare individuals (with an existing entrepreneurial intention) to successfully act on that intention and launch or grow a business venture. Historically, Step 2 has been delivered using a high touch, instructor-led online model organized by cohort.

SBA is soliciting applications from eligible institutions (as defined in Section 3.2) to conduct global delivery of the TAP B2B Entrepreneurship Training Track that seeks to increase the number of veteran-owned small businesses.

The following provides information on the type of assistance sought through this PA:

a. Follow-on entrepreneurship education and training or comparable alternative(s)

(For more information, visit https://www.sba.gov/b2b)

SBA is interested in sustaining the effectiveness of its existing follow-on entrepreneurship education and training model while allowing for continuous improvement and innovation.

B2B training opens the door to veterans who want to explore business ownership and a multitude of existing or yet-to-be-developed follow-on entrepreneurial development

Introduction to Entrepreneurship course objectives can be found in the Appendix https://www.sba.g/

7 | P a g e resources to support their journey. This may mean different things to different people:

Some aspiring veteran entrepreneurs may seek mentorship assistance from a retired business executive or experienced veteran business owner; some may decide to secure a loan for expanding an existing business; and others may simply seek business accounting training from a local SBA Resource Partner, just to name a few. The path to entrepreneurship is not the same for everyone, and entrepreneurship development encompasses many different paths.

SBA strives to define and capture entrepreneurial development activities and their impact on aspiring and existing business owners and their collective impact on the U.S. economy.

Of equal importance, SBA seeks to assist service members and spouses in making a successful transition to civilian life, which may mean learning through B2B that business ownership is not a suitable or desirable post service vocation. SBA is committed to supporting veterans throughout their career and places special emphasis on veterans exploring their entrepreneurial intention and interest in business ownership. Survey results indicate the B2B Foundations of Entrepreneurship (Foundations) course (Step 2) has been instrumental in fostering entrepreneurial confidence in veterans , however, SBA wants to explore other methods of fostering entrepreneurial efficacy and seeks applicants with ideas or projects aimed at defining customer business needs beyond the B2B Intro course (Step 1). This project may or may not include online training such as the B2B

Foundations course (Step 2).

The follow-on training course uses an online learning system which provides access to view assignments, course discussion forums, and obtain general information.

Additionally, the online learning system includes a web-based registration system that enables prospective participants to register for the course. The SBA Grants Officer

Technical Representative (GOTR) provides approval of website content. Course material distribution, inventory storage, and delivery will be handled by another organization under direct contract with SBA. As such, this aspect of the program is not included in the scope of work for awards issued under this PA. Current participant course materials include:

“The “Boots on the Ground” Guide to Entrepreneurship” textbook (published by

McGraw Hill)

“The Nuts & Bolts of Great Business Plans for Veterans and Military Service

Members”

The volume of service that applicants can expect to provide may be derived from past performance information. In FY 2015, 1,173 service members and spouses registered for the Foundations of Entrepreneurship class. In FY 2016, 1,249 service members and spouses registered for the Foundations of Entrepreneurship class. During FY 2016, a total of 23 courses were facilitated with an average class size of 54 students.

2 https://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/b2b_vet_entrepreneurship_assessment.pdf

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b. Curricula Continuous Improvement (of two-day B2B Intro course) and

Innovation (for online B2B Follow-on course)

The B2B curriculum and corresponding learning objectives are focused on entry-level entrepreneurial skills. However, SBA is interested in flexibility with the curricula to allow for customization to address the needs of the overall B2B program. For example, SBA anticipates there could be variations of the B2B curricula to address all era veteran interest in specific types of business opportunities or industries. All contiguous United States

(CONUS) B2B classes will be delivered by SBA personnel and resource partners. These individuals are generally business professionals or trained business counselors with experience delivering entrepreneurship education to small and medium-sized groups.

Curriculum shall be reviewed annually in accordance with established TAP procedures.

Updates must be reviewed by the SBA GOTR who is responsible for ensuring curriculum revisions are consistent with the overall annual TAP evaluation cycle deadlines.

As a component of the interagency TAP, the B2B curriculum is reviewed and revised consistent with TAP policies and procedures that encourage continuous quality assessment and improvement. The outcomes of TAP and its associated curricula are evaluated within and across participating federal agencies, by the U.S. Congress, and other oversight agencies such as the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO). As part of program governance, non-government stakeholder feedback is sought and used in a variety of ways.

SBA and its partners constantly seek data and knowledge on the needs of its beneficiaries

– in this case, emerging and existing veteran-owned small businesses. SBA seeks thought and program partners to enable collaborative curricula innovation that helps SBA achieve its mission of empowering veteran entrepreneurship and maintain relevance in today’s marketplace.

c. Integration, Operations, and Partnership

SBA works with many partners across sectors in the entrepreneurial development space, which is the primary program purpose of B2B. Maintaining and creating frameworks and infrastructure that integrate and leverage partner efforts is a strategic objective. SBA

OVBD believes achieving this objective in the Veterans space is paramount.

B2B training introduces transitioning service members (TSMs) to business ownership and the continuum of available follow-on entrepreneurial development resources. TSM resource needs are varied. Some aspiring veteran entrepreneurs may need mentorship assistance from an experienced veteran business owner, while others may need to secure a loan to expand an existing business; and, others may simply seek accounting training from a local SBA Resource Partner.

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d. B2B two-day “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” instruction overseas

The B2B Intro course is delivered to military service members at installations throughout the world, both inside the CONUS and outside the contiguous United States (OCONUS).

Nearly all CONUS B2B classes are delivered by SBA personnel and its resource partners.

For OCONUS, in the 18 month period from April 2015 to September 2016, 162 courses have been held at 37 different military installations in eight countries. OCONUS Intro training locations and frequency of classes to be conducted is dependent on the requirements of DOD and DHS (for U.S. Coast Guard). In addition to permanent major military installations, course locations may vary from country to country or time to time.

The grantee is responsible for ensuring the flexibility to support location requirements.

Course locations and dates will be approved by the SBA GOTR on a quarterly basis 30 days prior to the beginning of each quarter in an effort to maximize efficiencies related to geographic distribution and financial resources. The grantee is responsible for managing all OCONUS installation Point of Contact (POC) relationships; however, SBA OVBD manages the relationship with the Transition Service Managers at the broader Service level.

The following table shows the classroom participation levels in the global B2B program:

This information is based on historical data and is provided for informational purposes only. This workload data does not project actual requirements for the cooperative agreement, nor does it fully reflect grantee workload. The Applicant is responsible for proposing an appropriate budget to accomplish the objectives of this PA.

The Grantee must strive to use the highest quality and most cost effective method to ensure all instructors have been trained on B2B or SBA-designated curriculum prior to course delivery. Coordination of CONUS instructors is the responsibility of SBA district

Year Classes Participants Installations

2013 296 4514 114

2014 567 9835 157

2015 797 12277 171

2016 804 12765 186

Scope of All B2B Operations

Year Classes Participants Installations

2013 / / /

2014 33 606 24

2015 116 1816 30

2016 108 1686 34

Scope of Overseas Operations

10 | P a g e office personnel while the coordination of OCONUS instruction is facilitated collaboratively by the Grantee. Existing CONUS and OCONUS instructors use a training resources portal hosted by the current Cooperative Agreement National Partner to access instructional materials (lesson plans, briefing slide decks, videos, forms, etc.) and course delivery tips from best-in-class instructors. SBA is developing its own instructor resources portal using a customer relationship management (CRM) system (e.g.

Salesforce) which will facilitate the transfer of website or portal hosting to SBA. The

Grantee must review existing curricula and propose changes or propose an alternative established curriculum in writing. Recommended changes or proposals will be reviewed by the SBA GOTR who is responsible for ensuring curriculum revisions are consistent with the overall TAP evaluation cycle.

e. B2B Program Evaluation

SBA evaluates the B2B Program at the agency level as part of the inter-agency TAP. The existing evaluation methodology is survey-based and collects self-reported data on business formation and sustainment rates as primary outcome measures. Participation numbers and rates are also measured as outputs. In many cases, data systems and data sharing across partners and government agencies is limited.

The federal government is striving to frame the appropriate mix of outputs and outcomes that represent a veteran’s entrepreneurial journey. However, the ultimate goal for the inter-agency DOD TAP is the successful transition of the service member and family to civilian life. Persistent interagency government efforts exist to increase and improve data collection, analytical methodologies, and data sharing arrangements to help evaluate the impact of the TAP.

For organizations responding to the Program Evaluation operational objective of this PA, technical proposals must address how an organization proposes to assess the impact of an entrepreneurship education and assistance program with a particular focus on the needs of transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. SBA is interested in organizations’ perspectives and approaches to identifying the most meaningful yet obtainable measures of effectiveness and efficiencies for a national entrepreneurship education and training program, as well as the systems and methodologies that would or could be utilized for the evaluation efforts. SBA strives to define and capture entrepreneurial development activities and their impact on aspiring and existing business owners, veterans’ actions related to their livelihood, whether veterans decide to launch a business and their company’s trajectory or lifespan, the incubation period in making these decisions, and the associated impacts of all this activity on the overall U.S. economy.

SBA is looking for thought leadership on what are the best measures or indicators of a veteran’s successful transition from military to civilian life.

https://www.sba/

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1.5 B2B Program Operational Objectives

1. B2B Follow-On Instruction or comparable alternative(s) - To increase the number of course participants and graduates, ultimately leading to an increased number of veteran entrepreneurs.

2. B2B Curricula Continuous Improvement and Innovation - To increase the number of veteran entrepreneurs by designing, maintaining, and supporting execution of curricula best practices consistent with SBA guidance.

3. Integration, Operations and Partnership - To increase the number of veteran entrepreneurs by fostering and supporting a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.

4. B2B two-day Intro (overseas installations) - To increase the number of course participants and graduates, ultimately leading to an increased number of veteran entrepreneurs.

5. B2B Program Evaluation - To provide methodologies, theories of change, research questions, etc. to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of TAP B2B operations on client outcomes.

Table 1-1 demonstrates the relationship between project activities, entrepreneurial development outputs, and intermediate action outcomes that may ultimately increase the number of veterans or B2B graduates starting a business, etc.

Table 1-1

Activities

Programmatic/

Entrepreneurial

Development Related

Outputs

Anticipated Economic Outcomes

Short-term and

Intermediate Action Outcomes

Long-term (End)

Economic Outcomes

Descriptions of services your project will provide (e.g., conduct training, refine curriculum, etc.).

These outputs describe the level of activity that will be provided over a period of time, including a description of the characteristics (e.g., quantity, timeliness) established as standards for the activity (e.g., number of people trained).

Short-term action outcomes might describe knowledge gained (e.g.

increased number of B2B participants), intermediate outcomes may include behavior changes achieved (e.g., increased likelihood of starting a venture, increased motivation related to starting a venture, increased confidence related to starting a venture).

Intermediate action outcomes describe the intended result of carrying out a program or activity.

Long-term economic outcomes are the ultimate benefit of the project.

Economic outcomes cannot always be quantified by funding recipients, but are desirable when possible

(e.g., increased number of business starts, increased number of veteran entrepreneurs, decrease in veteran unemployment).

The activities and entrepreneurial development outputs listed in this table are examples only and are not intended to limit the submission of creative and innovative approaches for achieving economic results. Linkage to at least one of the long-term economic outcomes referenced in this PA must be addressed by proposed project activities.

Additional economic outcomes are acceptable.

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1.6 Leveraging of Resources

The applicant(s) selected for award under this PA are required to maximize efforts to leverage SBA funding by working in conjunction with SBA district offices and other federal, state, local, and tribal government small business development programs and activities, as well as SBA resource partners, such as SCORE, Small Business

Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, Veterans Business Outreach Centers

(VBOCs), 7(j) Technical Assistance providers, Small Business Investment Companies, Certified Development Companies, SBA lenders; and/or universities, colleges, other institutions of higher learning, private organizations, such as chambers of commerce and trade and industry groups and associations in marketing and promoting the program to eligible beneficiaries interested in launching new business ventures or expanding or diversifying established businesses. Applicants must provide a detailed description of how they plan to work directly with SBA district offices and resource partners in disseminating information to military installations responsible for providing the TAP to service members interested in participating in the optional Entrepreneurship Track.

1.7 SBA Involvement and Oversight

A designated GOTR within OVBD at SBA Headquarters will be responsible for overall monitoring and oversight of an award recipient, including compliance with the terms of the Cooperative Agreement. A designated Grants Officer within the Office of Grants

Management (OGM) will be responsible for issuing the Notice of Award, making modifications to the award, and processing payments.

The purpose of a cooperative agreement is to transfer funds to a recipient to accomplish a public purpose; however, substantial involvement is anticipated between the government and the recipient during the performance of the activity to meet agreed upon project objectives. Identified below are anticipated roles and responsibilities of the OVBD

Program Office in cooperation with awardees. These roles and responsibilities are categorized in accordance with the previously stated requirements to be delivered by awardees and are consistent with current OVBD program management practices. This information is intended to serve as guidelines to assist applicants prepare their technical proposals. Roles and responsibilities may be adjusted to facilitate an awardee’s performance depending on their project objectives and milestones and the negotiated terms and conditions of the award.

a. Curricula Continuous Improvement and Innovation (for either the two-day

Intro course or any follow-on training courses):

The SBA GOTR expects to:

Facilitate collaboration between B2B awardee(s) and other partners engaged in delivering the program such as Veterans Business Outreach Centers, SCORE, SBA field personnel, Small Business Development Centers, and Women's

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Business Centers so the awardee can collect feedback from instructors and the participants.

Provide data collected via DoD-administered TAP assessment surveys which include questions on quality and customer satisfaction for all of TAP including the Entrepreneurship Track (i.e. SBA’s B2B Program). The surveys also include knowledge questions to test participants on their learnings against the stated course learning objectives. (This pertains to the two-day Intro course only.)

Provide other program data collected on course participants that includes demographic data such as gender, rank, and service component, which may be useful for curriculum reviews.

Facilitate and lead as required the approval process for any curriculum modifications in accordance with TAP policies as maintained by the interagency TAP governance structure. This includes reviewing changes with the TAP Curriculum Work Group who present summaries of changes to a senior executive steering group of federal interagency workgroup members

(DoD and the Services, DOL, VA, DoED, SBA) for approval. The GOTR would also facilitate and lead the coordination of pilots for any new curricula to collect feedback from participants. Consistent with DoD TAP policies, “new curricula” is defined as any curriculum modifications that change more than 20% of the existing curriculum.

Facilitate course participant or instructor materials fulfillment globally and collaborate with the Cooperative Agreement Partner to ensure the successful accomplishment of the project.

Communicate SBA or OVBD Program Office strategic objectives associated with agency entrepreneurial development practices or pedagogical policies that impact B2B curricula.

Share other data, best practices, or feedback collected during the period of performance that could assist the awardee(s) in meeting their project objectives and milestones related to curriculum development and continuous improvement

b. Overseas Course Instruction (for delivery of the two-day B2B Introduction to

Entrepreneurship curricula on military installations OCONUS):

Provide installation level forecast data on the populations of transitioning service members that are eligible to participate.

Provide historical program data on participation by installation which includes participation rates, course frequency, average class size and follow-on training conversions.

Coordinate with the Transition Service Managers on OCONUS installations and regional and national level managers for each military service to determine

14 | P a g e demand for B2B on a quarterly and annual basis and provide inputs to the awardee(s) for the purpose of maintaining a master delivery schedule.

Coordinate with Transition Service Managers to facilitate base access for instructors or their appropriate designation under Status of Forces Agreements and comply with country- and installation-specific procedures for noncombatant evacuation operations (NEO).

Discuss with all parties the appropriate management levels to use in resolving emergent issues related to instructor or course quality, scheduling, logistics, or other matters.

c. B2B Program Evaluation:

Provide OVBD research framework to grantee(s) and discuss how project(s) align to OVBD Program Office strategic objectives

Provide Program Data Inventory and related data collected (e.g. number of course participants, location of course offerings, participant demographic data, participant outcomes data, etc.) to grantee(s)

Facilitate data collection from TAP partners and stakeholders, including SBA district office personnel, SBA Resource Partners, DoD, DOL, VA, etc. to support grantee project objectives

d. Other Program Management Functions:

In addition to the aforementioned responsibilities, the SBA GOTR expects to:

Provide strategic direction and periodic updates on any areas within the administrative purview of the OVBD Program Office and relevant to the successful performance of the awardee(s) (e.g. funding availability, governance policies and anticipated changes, feedback from congressional stakeholders, etc.)

Facilitate communications with the DOD TAP on revisions to the B2B curricula content for the DOD Joint Knowledge Online (JKO) training resource

Conduct marketing and outreach to program partners and influencers to sustain support for the program and increase awareness among target audiences to drive demand.

Provide guidance to awardee(s) on issues related to the administration and management of the cooperative agreement in accordance with applicable laws, regulations, and agency policies. Facilitate relationships with other relevant

SBA offices, primarily the Office of Grants Management (OGM).

1.8 Changes or Cancellation

SBA reserves the right to amend or cancel this PA, in whole or in part, at the Agency’s discretion. Should SBA make material changes to this PA, the Agency will extend the

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Closing Date as necessary to afford Applicants sufficient opportunity to address such changes.

2.0 Section II – Award Information

2.1 Estimated Funding

A maximum of $2.5 million in funding is available for Fiscal Year 2017. There is no minimum award amount.

2.2 Expected Number of Awards

SBA anticipates awarding between one (1) and four (4) cooperative agreements from this

PA, subject to the availability of funds, the quality of proposals received, and other applicable considerations.

SBA reserves the right to reject all applications and make no awards as a result of this PA or make fewer awards than expected. In addition, SBA reserves the right to make additional awards under this PA, consistent with Agency policy, if additional funding becomes available after the original selection(s).

2.3 Period of Performance/Budget Periods

The Award will be made for a five-year period of performance, consisting of a base period of 12 months from the date of award and four (4) option periods of 12 months each.

Exercise of the option periods will be solely at SBA’s discretion and is subject to continuing program authority, availability of funds, and a Recipient’s continued satisfactory performance and compliance with all the terms and conditions of the award.

Each base and option period will constitute a separate and distinct 12-month Budget

Period.

2.4 Funding Information

Funds provided under B2B must be used solely for the purposes stipulated in this PA and the Notice of Award and may not be commingled with any other monies. All costs proposed in an Applicant’s budget must meet the tests of allowability, allocability, and reasonableness set forth in the applicable Office of Management and Budget (OMB) cost principles. No more than 20 percent of award funds may be expended on contractor and

/or consultant costs. Indirect costs will be based on the Applicant’s cognizant Agency or the indirect cost rate agreement negotiated with SBA. SBA will not reimburse Applicants for their proposal preparation costs, but Applicants may request preaward costs. Preaward costs must directly relate to the conduct of the project and meet the tests of allowability, allocability, and reasonableness.

2.5 Funding Instrument

The funding instrument will be a Cooperative Agreement.

2.6 Matching Requirement

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None.

3.0 Section III – Eligibility Information

3.1 General

more operational area outlined in this PA. In other words, an applicant may apply for multiple areas of the PA (including all areas), or may select specific operational areas.

Multiple proposals from the same applicant will be rejected without being reviewed.

Please note SBA considers Operational Objective 3 (Integration, Collaboration, and

Partnership) inherent to all identified requirements and is non-severable. A successful technical proposal will include communication and collaboration with SBA and its partners as central to its project approach in order to achieve the stated project objectives.

3.2 Eligible Applicants

In order to be eligible for this funding opportunity an applicant must:

Be a non-profit organization, a state, local, or tribal government agency, an institution of higher learning, a for-profit organization, or collaboration between such entities.

Demonstrate a history of providing quality entrepreneurship and/or business management training that results in new business starts, business expansions or diversifications, as well as jobs created and/or retained.

Demonstrate a clear understanding of the issues relating to transitioning service members or veterans.

3.3 Ineligible Applicants

The following applicants will automatically be considered ineligible and their applications will be rejected without being evaluated.

Any organization that owes an outstanding and unresolved financial obligation to the federal government;

Any organization that is currently suspended, debarred, or otherwise prohibited from receiving awards of contracts or grants from the federal government;

Any organization with an outstanding and unresolved material deficiency reports under the requirements of the Single Audit Act or OMB Circular A-133 within the past three years;

Any organization that has had a grant or cooperative agreement involuntarily terminated or non-renewed by OVBD for cause within the past two years;

Any organization that has filed for bankruptcy within the past five years;

Any organization that proposes to serve as a pass-through and permit another organization to manage the day-to-day operations of the project; and

Any current SBA Resource Partner (Small Business Development Center, Women’s

Business Center, SCORE, or Veterans Business Outreach Center). However, host organizations of current SBA Resource Partners are eligible to apply.

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4.0 Section IV – Application and Submission of Information

more operational objectives outlined in this PA. In other words, an applicant may apply for multiple areas of the PA (including all areas), or may select specific operational areas while omitting others. However, all applications must address Operational Objective 3

(Integration, Collaboration, and Partnership) in order to be deemed complete and eligible for funding by SBA. A successful technical proposal will include communication and collaboration with SBA and its partners as central to its project approach in order to achieve the stated project objectives.

All applications:

Must clearly articulate a plan to produce results that have implications and/or benefits on a national level (in other words, this PA is not designed to fund small-scale local projects).

Must align with SBA strategic objectives as described in Section 6.0, below.

Must address one or more of the following program operational objectives:

o Providing a network of instructors to teach the two-day “Introduction to

Entrepreneurship” (Intro) classroom course at overseas military installations;

o Providing a network of instructors to teach a follow-on high touch, instructor-led, cohort-structured online course or comparable alternative3;

o Managing a SBA-owned course curriculum which involves continuous improvement and compatibility with the DOD TAP governance’s curricula management process and timelines.

o Developing and executing a program evaluation plan.

For organizations responding to the OCONUS 2-day instruction operational objective of this PA, the Grantee is expected to prepare participant attendance reports for OCONUS courses and provide aggregate data to SBA. The Grantee must ensure course participants are provided the opportunity to complete and submit a course evaluation form. The

Grantee is expected to provide a copy of the completed evaluation form to the OVBD

Program Office and to the respective program manager of the military services. The

Grantee is expected to provide a post-course report to SBA and to the respective program manager of the military services. The course report must include a summary of courses delivered in the respective country delivered the previous month/quarter, and must include the dates the courses were held, course location, and instructor name.

3 Please refer to “Background” section of this PA for additional information on the training model for the overall B2B

Program.

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As applicable, applicants must address how their organization would design and deliver follow-on training (in other words, any post-two day B2B Intro training) or follow-on support (e.g. mentoring, business counseling, apprenticeships, joint work-study programs combining education with work experience, etc.) that facilitate the successful transition of service members and spouses and the development of veteran entrepreneurs and the formation of new veteran-owned business or self-employment ventures. Please outline those materials your organization believes are critical to delivery of the proposed follow-on training. Please note SBA encourages the use of digitally or electronically formatted training materials where practicable. Please reference Section 1.7 SBA Involvement and

Oversight for additional information related to participant training materials.

SBA is interested in applicants’ philosophical and pedagogical approach to providing entrepreneurship education and assistance. Successful proposals must discuss the following areas:

Effectiveness of their proposed delivery in providing entrepreneurship education and assistance to veterans;

Your organization’s proposed measures of success for entrepreneurship education and assistance;

Your organization’s approach or experience at standardizing or customizing curriculum and instruction;

Your organization’s experience in assisting transitioning service members and veterans.

Applications must be for projects that achieve outputs and outcomes on a national scale including but not limited to:

Number of participants in B2B Foundations course

Number of hours of instruction

Number of touch points with instructor(s)

Number of B2B graduates connecting with local SBA resources (capital, contracts, etc.)

Measure of change in participant likelihood of/motivation for starting a venture

(change in Entrepreneurial Intention)

Measure of change in participant confidence related to starting a venture

Number of veterans starting a business

Number of veterans sustaining a business

Measure of B2B program’s contribution to veterans experiencing a successful transition (“not starting a business is OK”)

Measure of participants’ overall satisfaction with the B2B program.

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The activities and outputs listed above are examples only and are not intended to limit the submission of creative and innovative approaches for achieving short-, intermediate, or long-term outcomes.

As applicable, proposals must address ways an organization will approach continuous improvement and innovation with a focus on curriculum content and delivery. Examples include using a specific framework or process for the innovation, continuous improvement or quality assurance of entrepreneurial development curricula or identifying how an organization sources its intellectual capital, instructors, and curricula.

Additionally, applicants must include web accessibility and functionality as part of their technical proposal. For example, event calendars and course or event registration and notification capabilities are critical aspects of delivering the global B2B program.

Websites must be used as promotional and tactical tools where grantees can distribute

B2B program information to individuals and outside organizations. The SBA GOTR provides approval of website content related to the B2B program. SBA aims to serve as the hub or clearinghouse of B2B program information so applicants’ website(s) must be linkable to the www.bootstobusiness.gov domain. Consistent with the cooperative agreement’s negotiated terms and conditions, the awardee(s) shall provide client level data elements to SBA.

OVBD program administration requires the integration of service delivery where practicable. Please note SBA considers Operational Objective 3 (Integration, Collaboration, and Partnership) inherent to all identified requirements and is non-severable. A successful technical proposal will include communication and collaboration with SBA and its partners as central to its project approach in order to achieve the stated project objectives. Integration and partnership is a stated performance goal for the 20 existing VBOCs funded by SBA funds that have a statutory mandate to provide transition assistance. Future B2B awardees must work closely with VBOCs and other SBA resource partners to leverage resources. Applicants will be required to demonstrate their capability to establish partnerships with value added organizations such as veteran service organizations, employment services, and other community-based economic development initiatives, agencies, or organizations.

Proposals must address how your organization approaches partnership, both internally and externally, and provide your observations of the marketplace for business assistance services available to veterans – either exclusively or as part of general or other targeted populations. SBA is interested in any existing customer relationship management (CRM) processes or systems your organization utilizes to support your operations, and how your organization conducts marketing and outreach to generate awareness and participation in

4 The OVBD Program Office views some of these indicators as longer term outcomes and most likely beyond the scope of a project period of performance. However, this information is provided as notional examples of long-term outcomes the B2B Program is interested in potential cooperative agreement partners making progress towards.

20 | P a g e its programs, training courses, or lines of business. Additional anticipated proposal language must include:

What operational and database infrastructure could you leverage to ingrate services between multiple providers?

Does your organization have direct or indirect experience with federally funded assistance agreements including grants and cooperative agreements?

Does your organization have any direct or indirect experience contracting with government entities?

Applicants must identify project objectives and goals that are aligned with the B2B program goals and operational areas. As discussed further in Sections C - E, proposed projects must quantify entrepreneurial development or economic outputs for identified activities and achieve measurable outcomes that demonstrate progress towards achieving project objectives and goals within these operational objectives or areas.

For organizations responding to the Program Evaluation operational objective of this PA, technical proposals must address how an organization proposes to assess the impact of an entrepreneurship education and assistance program with a particular focus on the needs of transitioning service members, veterans, and military spouses. SBA is interested in organizations’ perspectives and approaches to identifying the most meaningful yet obtainable measures of effectiveness and efficiencies for a national entrepreneurship education and training program, as well as the systems and methodologies that would or could be utilized for the evaluation efforts. SBA strives to define and capture entrepreneurial development activities and their impact on aspiring and existing business owners, veterans’ actions related to their livelihood, whether veterans decide to launch a business and their company’s trajectory or lifespan, the incubation period in making these decisions, and the associated impacts of all this activity on the overall U.S. economy.

4.1 Application Information

Applications must consist of the following elements: (i) a cover letter; (ii) a technical proposal; (iii) budget information and cost proposal; (iv) certifications, forms and assurances; and (v) attachments and exhibits.

4.1.1 Cover Letter

The first page of each application must be a cover letter which contains the following information:

Statement that the application is in response to the Program Announcement

No. B2B-2017-01;

Applicant’s name and address;

Applicant’s website address;

Name, telephone number, fax number, and email address for the applicant’s designated point of contact;

Dollar amount of assistance being requested; and

Narrative Proposal (as described below)

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Project Narrative — must not exceed 20 pages (using 8.5 inch x 11 inch paper)

The document must be in a readable format or in PDF for Windows and consolidated into a single file and be prepared as stated below.

The narrative proposal cannot exceed a maximum of 20 single-spaced typewritten letter sized pages, and must use no less than a font of size 12 and 1 inch margins on all sides; excess pages will not be reviewed. The narrative proposal is comprised of three sections: the summary information, the work plan and the budget narrative.

Summary Information Page (recommended not to exceed 1 page):

1. Project Title.

2. Applicant Information. Include applicant (organization) name, address, contact person, phone number, fax and e-mail address and DUNS number.

3. Type of Eligible Organization as stated in 3.2 (e.g. non-profit, State agency, institution of higher learning, etc.).

4. Funding Requested. Specify the total amount you are requesting from

SBA for the entire project period as well as the total for each year of the project.

5. Total Project Cost. Specify total cost of the project. Identify funding from other sources, including cost share or in-kind resources.

6. Project period. Provide beginning and ending dates. (Projects are anticipated to begin April 1, 2017 and end on March 31, 2018.)

Work Plan

The work plan must explicitly describe how the proposed project meets the guidelines established in Sections 1 - 3 (including the threshold eligibility criteria in Section 3) of this PA. The work plan must address each of the evaluation criteria set forth in Section 5. The work plan must conform to the following outline:

a. Detailed Project Summary and Approach

Description of specific actions and methods to be undertaken and the responsible institutions, including estimated time line for each task.

Description of the associated work products and activities to be developed.

Explanation of project benefits to the public.

Description of how the project aligns with SBA’s strategic objective and

B2B Program Operational Objectives.

Description of how the project uses effective/proven approaches.

Identification of the potential audiences served.

Description of the roles of the applicant and any partners.

Description of the practicality, feasibility, and replicability of the project, such as to yield large national scale impacts.

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Description of the applicant’s approach, procedures, and controls for ensuring that awarded grant funds will be expended in a timely and efficient manner.

b. Evaluation Plan for…