step 2015 program announcement synopsis 4-8-2015.pdf

Program Synopsis

General Information

Document Type: Grant Notice

Funding Opportunity Number: OIT-STEP-2015-01

Posted Date: April 8, 2015

Original Due Date for Applications: May 20, 2015

Archive Date:

Funding Instrument Type: Cooperative Agreement

Category of Funding Activity Business and Commerce

Explanation of “Other” Category of Funding Activity:

Expected Number of Awards: Up to 30 awards.

Estimated Total Program Funding: $17,400,000

Award Ceiling: $750,000

Award Floor: $100,000

CDFA Number 59.061 – State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Program

Cost Sharing or Matching Requirement:

The Federal share of project cost for States that have high export volumes will be 65%, and State matching funds required will be 35%.

The Federal share of project cost for States that do not have high export volumes will be 75%, and State matching funds required will be 25%.

Eligible Applicants

The Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, as amended by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2013 (H.R. 4310), provides that State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) Program cooperative agreements may be awarded only to ‘States,’ meaning any of the

United States plus the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. Therefore, only the above applicants are eligible for an award of funding under this Program Announcement.

For purposes of this Program Announcement, the term ‘eligible applicant,’ means a state agency that, prior to the date of the application submission for this Announcement, has been officially designated by a state governor as the sole entity responsible for conducting the State’s trade and export activities.

1. The organizational structure of the State’s designated international trade agency must show an official agency relationship with State government, and the State must provide financial backing and show support for program activities.

2. Only those proposals accompanied by the written designation of the State Governor, or his/her designee, may submit an application for evaluation and funding consideration.

3. Only one proposal will be considered per state.

4. Should the Governor, or equivalent thereof (e.g., Mayor of the District of

Columbia, etc.), assign signatory responsibility for the endorsement letter to a designee, the letter must include an acknowledgement that the Governor, or his/her equivalent, has authorized the designee to sign the letter on his/her behalf.

5. For insular areas, the equivalent of a State governor is the appropriate signatory.

Description:

Program Announcement No. OIT-STEP-2015-01

U.S. Small Business Administration/Office of International Trade (OIT)

OPENING DATE: April 8, 2015

CLOSING DATE: May 20, 2015

SUMMARY: The SBA is issuing Program Announcement No. OIT–STEP–2015–01 to invite the States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S.

Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa (hereinafter ‘States’) to apply for a STEP cooperative agreement to carry out export promotion programs that assist eligible small business concerns, to become exporters, and to increase the value of small business exports. These cooperative agreements will be awarded on a competitive basis. Applications will undergo three phases of evaluation under a merit review process resulting in the competitive award of cooperative agreements. A State may not submit more than one application for a STEP award under the program. Awards will be made for a project period of 12 months from the date of award with one option period of 12 months.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Public Law 111 – 240, Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, authorized SBA to establish a three year trade and export promotion pilot program, known as the State Trade and Export Promotion Program, to make cooperative agreement awards to States to carry out export programs that assist ‘eligible small business concerns.’ The objective of the program is to increase the number of small businesses that are exporting and to increase the value of exports for those small businesses that are currently exporting.

States may apply to SBA for awards of financial assistance under this Announcement to fund projects to carry out exporting programs that assist ‘eligible small business concerns,’ through such activities as:

1. Participation in foreign trade missions;

2. Participation in foreign market sales trips;

3. Subscription to services provided by the Department of Commerce;

4. Translation of websites into foreign languages;

5. Design of international marketing products or campaigns;

6. Development of export trade show exhibits;

7. Participation in international trade training workshops; and,

8. Other export initiatives deemed appropriate by SBA’s Associate Administrator of the Office of International Trade that do not duplicate the services of other SBA resource partners.

Applicants selected for awards under this Announcement are required to maximize their efforts to leverage SBA funding by working in conjunction with other Federal, State, local and tribal government small business development programs and activities; SBA’s District Offices and Trade Finance Specialists at U.S. Export Assistance Centers and resource partners such as SCORE, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, Veterans Business Outreach Centers, 7(j) Technical Assistance providers, Small Business Investment Companies, Certified Development Companies, and SBA lenders; universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education; and private organizations such as chambers of commerce and trade and industry groups and associations.

Because of the scope and substance of services contemplated under this program announcement, in making awards under it, SBA will prioritize efforts that demonstrate strong collaboration with international trade service providers including, but not limited to, the U.S. Department of Commerce, Commercial Service and emphasize the return on investment (ROI) of activities that support the proposed milestones. The ROI is the measure of export sales derived from the activity divided by the Federal award amount expended on the activity.

SBA expects to issue awards under this Program Announcement totaling the full $17,400,000 appropriated for this purpose for the Federal FY 2015. Individual State project award amounts will vary based on the State’s proposed project plan and budget.

The Federal share of project costs for awards to the 10 States with the highest number of exporters that are small business concerns will not exceed 40% of the $17,400,000 awarded. The States with the highest number of small business exporters will be determined based on the latest data available from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Email questions about the Program Announcement OIT-STEP-2015-01 to STEP@sba.gov.

Link to Full Announcement https://www.sba.gov/offices/headquarters/oit/resources/14315 mailto:STEP@sba.gov