VFPETP-2017-01FOArevised.pdf

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

VETERAN FEDERAL PROCUREMENT ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING

PROGRAM (VFPETP)

FY 2017

Funding Opportunity No.

VFPETP- 2017-01

The purpose of this funding opportunity is to invite proposals for funding from eligible non-profit organizations and private sector firms to scale and to deliver their existing entrepreneurship training program(s) to veteran-owned and service-disabled-owned small businesses which intend to pursue, or are already engaged in, federal procurement.

This funding opportunity depends on the availability of funding

Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program Funding Opportunity No. VFPETP-2017-01

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U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Opening Date: May 4, 2017

Closing Date: June 8, 2017

Proposals responding to this funding opportunity must be posted to www.grants.gov by

11:59 p.m. Eastern Time, June 8, 2017. No other submission will be permitted.

Proposals after the stipulated deadline will be rejected without being evaluated.

http://www.grants.gov/

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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

8.2 Appendix – OMB Forms

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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 Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship

Training Program

1.1.3 Announcement Type Initial

1.1.4 Funding Opportunity Number: Funding Opportunity No.VFPETP-2017-01

1.1.5 CDF Number: 59.044

1.1.6 Closing Date for Submission: June 8, 2017 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time

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

1.1.8 Duration of Funding: 4 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 total of $500,000 in funding is available for this program in FY 2017. SBA expects to make one (1) award.

1.1.12 Project Duration: Award will be made for a base project period of 12 months, with 3 option periods of 12 months each. Exercise of options is at SBA’s discretion and is subject to the continuing program authority, the availability of funds and satisfactory performance by the Recipient organ-ization.

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

Contact:

Shirley Neal, Small Business Administration, Office of Veterans Business Development, Email: Shirley.Neal@sba.gov mailto:Shirley.Neal@sba.gov

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1.2 Introduction

The Small Business Administration’s Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurial Training

Program is a vital component of the Agency’s efforts to assist veteran and service-disabled veteran small business owners and entrepreneurs in securing federal government contracts. The passage of PL-106-50 and PL-108-183 strengthened the recommendation that federal government agencies award 3 percent of their contract dollars to service-disabled veteran small business owners.

Since the enactment of these Public Laws, federal agencies have in many cases met, and in some cases exceeded, the 3 percent contracting award recommendation for service-disabled veteran small business owners (SDVOSBs). SBA leads two Federal Advisory

Committee Act (FACA) committees: the Advisory Committee for Veteran Business

Affairs and the Interagency Task Force for Veteran Small Business Development.

Annual reports from both bodies continue to identify barriers to SDVOSBs and veteran-owned small business (VOSB) participation and success in the federal procurement market. In fiscal year 2014, SBA awarded a grant to address these challenges via an entrepreneurial development program to better develop and prepare SDVOSB and VOSB for the federal procurement market. The program included sessions with federal agency leaders and resource providers, private sector firms participating in federal procurement, successful SDVOSB and VOSB, and other relevant, experienced presenters within the lending and legal professions. Based on the outcomes of the program, SBA intends to continue to provide federal procurement focused entrepreneurial development training.

The outcomes measured include resultant new business expansions or diversifications, jobs created and/or retained, increase in revenue, federal contracts obtained, and connection to other resources such as SBA resource partners.

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, innovations, increased productivity and management improvements. The mission of SBA’s Office of Veterans Business

Development (OVBD), which bears responsibility acts as a liaison with the veterans business community; writes and reviews policy analysis and reporting; acts as Ombudsmen for Veterans in

Small Business Administration programs, provides business training, counseling assistance, and to support the Federal procurement programs for veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

In fulfilling these responsibilities, OVBD has the authority to enter into Cooperative Agreements with educational institutions, veterans’ nonprofit community-based-organizations, private businesses, and Federal, State, local and tribal government agencies (as defined by Section 3.2) for the establishment and implementation of outreach and entrepreneurial development programs designed to aid veterans, service-disabled veterans, and Reserve Component members in starting new and expanding or diversifying existing small businesses.

1.4 Purpose

Eligible organizations may apply to SBA for an award under this funding opportunity to deliver, and scale as required, their existing veteran federal procurement entrepreneurial training program

(VFPETP) to SDVOSB and VOSB who intend to pursue, or are already engaged in, federal procurement.

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Expanding the success of SDVOSBs and VOSBs through access to training programs that enhance their likelihood of competing for, and winning, federal government contracts is a long-standing recommendation of the Interagency Task Force for Veteran Business Development which is chaired by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

1.5 Leveraging of Resources

It is expected that the awardees will work closely with SBA resource partners and grantees, particularly the Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOCs), when marketing VFPETP and connecting program beneficiaries with SBA technical assistance resources. Applicants will also demonstrate the capability to establish (and/or continue) partnerships with organizations that have a role in veteran participation in federal procurement such as veteran service organizations, federal agencies, and private sector firms, by providing copies of partnership agreements and/or letters or emails of support from, the above-listed types of organizations.

1.6 SBA Involvement and Oversight

A designated Grants Officer Technical Representative (GOTR) within the Office of Veterans

Business Development at SBA Headquarters will be responsible for overall monitoring and oversight of a Small Business Program 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/approving payments.

1.7 Changes or cancellation

SBA reserves the right to amend or cancel this funding opportunity, in whole or in part, at the

Agency’s discretion. Should SBA make materials changes to this funding opportunity, the Agency will extend the Closing Date as necessary to afford Applicants sufficient opportunity to address such changes.

2.0 Section II – Award Information

2.1 Estimated Funding

The total amount of funding provided under this award will be $500,000.00

2.2 Expected Number of Awards

SBA expects to make one (1) award totaling $500,000) for this funding opportunity.

2.3 Period of Performance/Budget Periods

The Award will be made for a 4-year period of performance, consisting of a base period of 12 months from the date of award and three (3) 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, the 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 the VFPETP must be used solely for the purposes stipulated in this funding opportunity 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

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2.5 Funding Instrument

The funding instrument used will be a Cooperative Agreement

2.6 Matching Requirement

None

3.0 Section III – Eligibility Information

3.1 General

Eligible organizations may submit only one (1) proposal in response to this funding opportunity.

Any additional applications from the same organizations will automatically be rejected without being evaluated.

3.2 Eligible Applicants

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

Be an eligible entity: non-profit organization or private sector firm.

Demonstrate a history of providing quality entrepreneurship and/or business management training for SDVOSB and VOSB which intend to pursue, or are already engaged in, federal procurement. The quality of a program can be demonstrated by resultant new business expansions or diversifications, jobs created and/or retained, increase in revenue, federal contracts obtained, and connection to other resources such as SBA resource partners.

Provide metrics from their existing program that demonstrate participant outcomes such as: resultant new business expansions or diversifications, jobs created and/or retained, increase in revenue, federal contracts obtained, Proposed program must be open to SDVOSB and VOSB applicants from all U.S. states and territories.

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 reported 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 awarded by SBA’s

Office of Veterans Business Development involuntarily terminated or non-renewed by

SBA for cause within the past year;

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/or

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Any organization that was convicted, or had an officer or agent acting on its behalf convicted, of a felony criminal violation under any Federal law within the preceding two years.

Any organization that does not have an existing entrepreneurship training program for one of the populations described in Section 1.4 of this funding opportunity

Any SBA resource partner organizations (Veterans Business Outreach Centers, Women’s

Business Centers, Small Business Development Centers and SCORE chapters).

Any organization that has a Procurement Technical Assistance Program cooperative agreement award from the Defense Logistics Agency.

Any local, state or federal agency.

4.0 Section IV – Application and Submission of Information

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 Funding Opportunity No. VFPETP-

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; and

Dollar amount of assistance being requested.

4.1.2 Technical Proposal (not to exceed 10 pages)

The technical proposal serves as the narrative blueprint for the Applicant’s planned project and must include the following information:

Detailed description of the applicant’s past experience and present ability to provide entrepreneurship/business management assistance;

Description of the methods that will be used to market the program to potential beneficiaries with an interest in managing or growing a successful small business to participate in federal procurement;

A copy of the curriculum and/or program itinerary/agenda for the existing program

Outcomes data of the program since inception such as new business expansions or diversifications, jobs created and/or retained, increase in revenue, federal contracts obtained, and connection to other resources such as SBA resource partners number of business starts, jobs created or retained, contracts won, etc.

General demographic data of past program participants (e.g. military Service affiliation, gender, ethnicity, location of business, type of business (industry)

The number of beneficiaries served in each12-month period since program inception and projected number of beneficiaries that will be trained in a future12-month period if this funding opportunity is granted.

Identification of project director and key management personnel and staff; including resumes (position descriptions for unfilled positions). Resumes must include experience

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Identification of contractors and consultants and the manner in which they were selected

(i.e., competitively or non-competitively). NOTE; No more than 20% of award funds may be expended on contractor and/or consultant costs. Copies of contracts and consulting agreements (either signed or samples as applicable) must be included as attachments in accordance with Section 4.1.5 below and do not count toward the 15-page limit;

An organizational chart;

A timetable of milestones for the 12-month Budget Period; and identification of any additional funds or in-kind resources that will be expended in furtherance of the project.

4.1.3 Budget Information and Cost Proposal (Weight 15%)

Budget information must be provided through the completion or submission of the following:

Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance;

SF-424A Budget Information (Non-Construction Programs);

Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachments A-9 through A-12 to the SF-424A).

Budget narrative providing a brief, detailed explanation of the components of each cost element listed in the SF-424A;

Copy of Applicant’s Cost Policy Statement; and

Copy of the Applicant’s current, government-wide indirect cost rate agreement (if the

Applicant’s budget includes indirect costs). If the Applicant does not have an agreement, it must propose an indirect cost rate in accordance with the procedures set forth in the applicable cost principles circular.

In its Cost Proposal Narrative, the applicant will outline plans on how the funding will be used to enhance the capacity building aspects of the organization to serve beneficiaries of the program. The applicant will outline the media that will be used to reach the target markets, the costs associated with media use, cost of travel to attend local, regional, and national meetings related to VFPETP, and the number of staff responsible activities associated with program capacity building including their salaries and benefits costs.

With its quarterly budget submission, the applicant must outline on the Budget Detail Worksheet

(Attachments A9-A12) how funding will be spent by including a brief narrative on the use of funds for each of the appropriate categories outlined on the Worksheet or as a separate written narrative, in addition to completion and inclusion of these forms: the SF 425, SF 270, SF-PPR, which shall include a summary report on recruitment, marketing and promotional activities initially to potential program candidates.

Each fourth quarter reporting period, depending on the availability of Option Year Funding, a final narrative report on program capacity building activities will be included in the request for reimbursement along with all the appropriate forms and signatures.

4.1.4 Certifications, Forms and Assurances

Each applicant must complete and submit the following forms:

SBA Form 1623, Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility Matters;

SF-LLL, Disclosure for Lobbying Activities;

Letter from the applicant’s Auditor, CPA, Treasurer, Comptroller, CFO or similarly qualified individual certifying that the organization’s financial management system currently meets requirements of 2 C.F.R. Part 200.302 Uniform Administrative

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Requirements for Grants and Agreements with institutions of higher learning, Hospitals, and Other Non Profit Organizations. [NOTE: This requirement does not apply to awards made directly to state, local, or tribal governments].

4.1.5 Attachments and Exhibits

Each Applicant must attach copies of the following to its proposal:

Resumes, position descriptions, contracts, consulting agreements, leases, conflict of interest policy, and cost policy statement;

Most recent A-133 audit report. If the Applicant is not subject to the requirements of the

Single Audit Act, it must instead submit a copy of its most recent audited financial statement by an independent CPA; and

Any other documentation the Applicant believes supports its proposal.

4.2 Submission Instructions

All proposals (narratives and forms) must be submitted electronically via the government-wide financial assistance portal www.grants.gov . NO OTHER FORMS OF SUBMISSIONS WILL

BE ACCEPTED. All required forms are provided in the grants.gov application package for this funding opportunity. Specific instructions for obtaining, completing, and submitting an application via grants.gov, including animated tutorials, may be found at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html.

In order to submit an application via grants.gov, an organization is first required to have a DUNS number, be registered with the Sam.gov, and have a grants.gov username and password.

Additionally, Applicants should not wait until the closing date to begin the submission process in order to avoid unexpected delays that could result in the rejection of an application.

Information about the grants.gov registration process can be found at http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html Applicants must register as organizations, not as individuals. Please note that organizations already registered with grants.gov do not need to register. However, all registered organizations must keep their resignations up-to-date. As part of the grants.gov registration process, an Applicant must designate one or more Authorized Organizational Representatives (AORs). AORs are the only individuals who may submit applications to grants.gov on behalf of an organization. If an application is submitted by anyone other than a designated AOR, it will be rejected by grants.gov and cannot be considered for funding.

Once an application is submitted, it undergoes a validation process through which it will be accepted or rejected by the grants.gov system. The validation process may take 24 to 48 hours or longer to complete. Applicants should save and print written proof of an electronic submission made at grants.gov. Applicants can expect to receive multiple emails regarding the status of their submission. The first email will confirm receipt of the application. The second email will indicate that the application has either been successfully validated by the system and assigned an SBA tracking number, or it has been rejected due to errors. An Applicant will receive a third email once

SBA has downloaded its applications from grants.gov for review in accordance with Section 5.3 below.

If grants.gov notifies an Applicant via email that its application contains an error, the Applicant must correct the noted error(s) before the system will accept and validate the application.

Applicants that choose to submit on or close to the closing date are advised they may not receive email notification of an error with their application until after the submission deadline, and thus will not have an opportunity to correct and submit their applications. APPLICATIONS THAT http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html

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ARE REJECTED BY GRANTS.GOV WILL NOT BE FORWARDED TO SBA AND

CANNOT BE CONSIDERED FOR FUNDING. It is the Applicant’s responsibility to verify that its submission was received and validated successfully at grants.gov. To check the status of your application and see the date and time it was received, log on to grants.gov and click on the

“Track My Application” link from the left-hand menu.

If you experience a technical difficulty with grants.gov (i.e., system problems or glitches with the operation of grants.gov website itself) that you believe threatens your ability to submit your application, please (i) print any error message received; and (ii) call the grants.gov Contact Center at 1-800-518-4726 for immediate assistance. Ensure that you obtain a case number regarding your communications with grants.gov. NOTE: Problems with an Applicant’s own computer system or equipment is not considered technical difficulties with grants.gov. Similarly, an Applicant’s failure to (i) obtain a DUNS number or complete the Sam.gov registration process; (ii) ensure that an AOR submits the application; or (iii) take note of and act upon an email from grants.gov rejecting its application due to errors, are not considered technical difficulties. A grants.gov technical difficulty is an issue occurring in conjunction with the operation of grants.gov itself, such as the temporary loss of service by grants.gov due to an unexpected volume of traffic or failure of information technology systems, both of which are rare occurrences.

Applicants should use the following link to obtain assistance in navigating grants.gov and access a list of useful resources: http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html If you have a question that is not addressed under the “Applicant FAQs” try consulting the “Applicant User Guide” or contacting the grants.gov Contact Center, which is open

24 hours a day, seven days a week.

4.3 Required Proposal Submission Dates

Each Applicant is required to submit its proposal electronically via www.grants.gov no later than 11:59 P.M. Eastern Time on June 8, 2017. Because of the conditions for submitting applications via grants.gov and the potential for encountering technical difficulties in using that site, Applicants are strongly encouraged to log on to the grants.gov and review the submission instructions early. DO NOT WAIT UNTO THE CLOSING DATE TO BEGIN THE

SUBMISSION PROCESS. Applicants bear sole responsibility for ensuring their proposals are submitted and received before the closing date.

SBA will consider the date and time stamp on the validation generated by grants.gov as the official submission time. A proposal that is not received by grants.gov before the closing date of this funding opportunity will be rejected without being evaluated, unless the Applicant can clearly demonstrate through documentation obtained from grants.gov that it attempted to submit its proposal in a timely manner but was unable to do so solely because of grants.gov systems issues.

Additionally, SBA will not accept any changes, additions, revisions, or deletions to applications made after the closing date.

Applicants should save and print written proof of an electronic submission made at grants.gov. If problems occur while using grants.gov, the applicant is advised to (i) print any error message received; and (ii) contact grants.gov for immediate assistance. Applicants may obtain advice and assistance with grants.gov submission process by visiting http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html or calling 1-800-518-4726.

5.0 Section V – Application Review Information

5.1 General

http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/organization-registration.html http://www.grants.gov/ http://www.grants.gov/web/grants/support.html

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Applications will be rejected without being evaluated if they are submitted by ineligible organizations or they are illegible or materially incomplete due to an Applicant’s failure to include required forms and/or provide the required level of detail.

5.2 Evaluation Criteria

All timely, materially complete applications received from the eligible organizations will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed below.

5.2.1 Organizational Experience and Capacity (Weight 40%)

Applicants will be evaluated on their demonstrated ability to deliver their established VFPETP to potential beneficiaries.

Applicants must provide the following:

Detailed description of the applicant’s past experience and present capacity to provide entrepreneurship/business management assistance to SDVOSB and VOSB which intend to pursue, or are already engaged in, federal procurement

Detailed description of applicant’s past experience in assisting clients with navigating the federal procurement landscape, competing for and winning federal contracts.

Specific examples of how the applicant has marketed VFPETP in the past and description of future communications strategy and marketing.

Projected milestones or timelines for recruitment and selection of training candidates;

Scope of the geographic area and demographics intended to penetrate when recruiting potential candidates;

The number of beneficiaries served in each12-month period since program inception and projected number of beneficiaries that will be trained in a future12-month period if this funding opportunity is granted.

Description of costs (if any) bone by beneficiaries for participation in the VFPETP

5.2.2 Project Design (Weight 15%)

Applicants must outline the program objectives and outcomes to be measured as well as the methodology for evaluating and assessing the effectiveness of the program. Applicant narratives should describe any evaluation criteria and delivery methods as part of its Technical Proposal.

Requirements for admission into the applicant’s training programs;

General demographic data of past program participants (e.g., gender, ethnicity, military Service affiliation,)

VFPETP training/learning objectives

A copy of the curriculum and program itinerary/agenda

Description of location of training and delivery channel(s) (e.g. on-site, webinar, in-residence)

Accessibility of training (physical or technology accommodations available)

Outcomes data of the program since inception such as: resultant new business expansions or diversifications, jobs created and/or retained, increase in revenue, federal contracts obtained, and connection to other resources such as SBA resource partners.

Clarity, accuracy, relevance, and ease of reportability of its evaluation methodology.

5.2.3 Project Management (Weight 10%)

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Applicants will be evaluated on the strength of their staffing and management plans for accomplishing the goals and objectives of their proposed projects. Applicants must demonstrate they will devote adequate numbers of personnel having sufficient experience to the project, establish clear and direct lines of responsibility and authority for managing and overseeing the project, and show that they will have sufficient facilities and other physical resources at their disposals to accomplish the proposed project. In particular, an Applicant must:

Identify all key management staff and contractors/consultants, describe their roles in conducting and overseeing the project, stipulate the amount of time they will devote to the project, and provide copies of resumes/position descriptions and an organizational chart;

Identify all facilities and other physical resources that will be utilized in furtherance of capacity building and provide copies of relevant deeds, leases, free space agreements, rental contracts, memoranda of understanding, etc.;

Provide copies of all contracts and consulting agreements and identify the employees or officials of the Applicants’ organizations who will be responsible for overseeing and administering those agreements;

Describe its financial management structure and internal controls and identify all staff members who will be responsible for financial recordkeeping, reporting, the receipt and expenditure of award funds, and addressing audit findings;

Provide a copy of its conflict of interest policy addressing, at a minimum, procedures for ensuring its employees, consultants and contractors do not assist veterans in which they, their principals, or its employees, consultants and contractors do not use their fiduciary duties and/or ensure its employees, consultants and contractors do not use their role in the project as a means for marketing their outside services to project clients.

5.2.4 Collaboration and Leveraging of Resources (Weight 10%)

Applicants will be evaluated on the breadth of their plans for coordinating their proposed activities and working to expand the scope and reach of their project in collaboration with entities such as SBA District

Offices, other federal, state, local and tribal government agencies, SBA resource partners, trade associations, business/industry groups, and institutions of higher learning. Specifically, an applicant must provide:

Copies of agreements with, or letters or emails of support from, the above-listed types of organizations pledges;

Brief details of how applicant plans to work with SBA’s District Office and resource partners

(VBOCs, SCORE, SBDCs and WBCs) to coordinate VFPETP marketing and post-program business technical assistance referral;

Demonstrate the capability to establish partnerships with veteran service organizations, and organizations that service the training needs of veteran entrepreneurs; provide a list of strategic alliances established to date, as an addendum.

5.3 Risk Management (Weight 10 %)

Applicants will be evaluated using a risk-based approach pursuant to 2 C.F.R. 200.205(b) based on the following criteria:

1. Financially stability – C.F.O. Certification referencing adequacy of internal controls as applicable with standard accounting practices and in compliance with 2 C.F.R. 200.302;

2. History of Performance – the applicant’s record in managing Federal awards, if it is a prior receipt of Federal awards, including timeliness for compliance with applicable report requirements, Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program

14 | P a g e accuracy of reimbursement requests, conformance to terms and conditions of pervious Federal awards;

3. Reports and findings from annual audits and independent CPA financial reviews performed;

4. The applicant’s ability to effectively implement statutory, regulatory and other requirements imposed on non-Federal entities.

5.4 Review and Selection Process

Applications will be rejected without being evaluated if they are submitted by ineligible organizations, or they are illegible or materially incomplete due to an Applicant’s failure to include required forms and/or provide the required level of detail.

Applications that are not rejected by grants.gov or SBA’s initial screening process will be evaluated by a team of merit reviewers and evaluated on the basis of how well the applications meet the criteria outlined within this funding opportunity. These reviewers may be SBA employees or employers of other federal agencies. Applicants are therefore encouraged to design proposals that address the criteria listed above in a clear and concise manner.

The SBA merit reviewers will utilize an adjectival rating structure to evaluate eligible applications. The merit reviewers shall be measure each application against the funding opportunity, and shall be evaluated against the criteria of the PA. These criteria and their respective weighting of each criterion are detailed in

Section V. – Application Review: 5.1 – 5.7. The reviewers will determine whether the application, in consideration of each category, and its respective weighting and then taken in its entirety, should be rated as: 1) Highly Responsive; 2) Responsive; 3) Somewhat Responsive; or 4) Not Responsive.

a. Highly Responsive: Applicant fully addresses all criteria aspects, convincingly demonstrates that it will meet the SBA's performance requirements, and demonstrates no discernable weaknesses;

b. Responsive: Applicant fully addresses all criteria aspects, demonstrates a likelihood of meeting the

SBA’s requirements, but may include minor weaknesses;

c. Somewhat Responsive: Applicant addresses most criteria aspects and demonstrates the ability to meet the

SBA's performance requirements. However, the Application contains significant weaknesses and/or a number of minor weaknesses. These weaknesses may be addressed by recommending the award and including a specific programmatic or administrative post-award special term(s) and condition(s); or,

d. Not Responsive: Applicant does not sufficiently address the criteria and the information presented indicates a strong likelihood of failure to meet SBA's requirements.

The SBA reviewers shall submit to the Program Office their determination, after evaluating the respective applications with the aforementioned criteria and weighting, of whether the respective applications reviewed were: 1) Highly Responsive; 2) Responsive; 3) Somewhat Responsive; or 4) Not Responsive.

These determinations shall be given to the Program Office (PO), who will take these assessments, along with other information in the possession, and after careful consideration all information shall draft individual funding recommendations which will include: 1) not to fund the application; 2) fund the application but not at the level requested; or 3) fund the application at the level requested.

6.0 Section VI – Award Administration Information

6.1 Award Notification

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The Applicant selected for the award will receive written notification. Applicants not selected for awards will be notified via email or letter and if time permits debriefs of unsuccessful Applications will take place.

6.2 Administrative and National Policy Requirements

The successful Application will be required to comply with the requirement set forth in 2 C.F.R. Part 200 the Assurances of Non-Construction Programs (SF-424B); and the terms and conditions set forth in their

Notice of Award. In addition SBA may, from time-to-time, advise the Recipient of the award made under this funding opportunity new legal requirements and /or policy initiatives with which they must agree to comply.

6.3 Reporting

The Recipient is required to submit the reports identified below: SBA may withhold payment if reports are not received or are deemed inadequate. Failure to report in a timely manner will also be weighed against future applications for grant funding from the same organization and the exercise of any option periods.

The reports provided by Recipient may be made public. In addition, SBA reserves the right to require the

Recipient to post these reports on their web sites.

6.3.1 Financial Reports

Recipient will be required to submit quarterly financial reports to SBA using SF-425, Federal Performance

Progress Reports, within 30 days of the completion of each of the first three quarters and within 90 days of the completion of the fourth quarter for each Budget Period.

6.3.3 Report Submission

Recipient will be required to submit quarterly performance reports to SBA using the SF-PPR Performance

Progress Report, within 30 days of the completion of each of the first three quarters and within 90 days of the completion of the fourth quarter of each Budget Period. Reports may be submitted electronically via e-mail and in hardcopy form via mail or courier service to the GOTR.

7.0 Section VII – Agency Contacts

7.1 Veteran Federal Procurement Entrepreneurship Training Program Point of Contact

Questions concerning general information contained in this funding opportunity should be directed to the

GOTR, Shirley Neal, at Shirley.Neal@sba.gov.

7.2 Financial/Grants Management Point of Contact

Questions concerning budgetary matters related to this funding opportunity should be directed to electronic.grants@sba.gov

7.3 Grants.gov Technical Support

For technical support with filing an electronic application in response to this funding opportunity, contact the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726 or support@grants.gov.

mailto:Shirley.Neal@sba.gov mailto:electronic.grants@sba.gov mailto:support@grants.gov

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8.0 Section VIII – Other Information

8.1 Definitions

The following definitions apply to awards made under this funding opportunity

8.1.1 Applicant – an eligible organization that applies for funding under this funding opportunity.

8.1.2 Budget Period – the 12-month period during which expenditure obligations will be incurred by the recipient for an award under this Announcement. For the purposes of this funding opportunity, the initial budget period will be from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018. Each option year, if exercised, will constitute a separate budget period.

8.1.3 Cooperative Agreement – A legal instrument reflecting a relationship between the United States government and a Recipient when the principal purpose of the relationship is to transfer a thing of value to the Recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation and substantial involvement is expected between the awarding agency and the Recipient when carrying out the activity contemplated in the agreement.

8.1.4 Cost Policy Statement – A document describing all accounting policies of an Applicant organization and narrating in detail its proposed cost allocation plan. This plan must stipulate the procedures used to identify, measure, and allocate all costs to each benefitting activity.

8.1.5 Counseling – Services provided one-on-one to an individual and/or business that are delivered in person (fact-to-face), on the telephone, or electronically and which are:

a) Substantive in nature and concern the formation, management, financing, and/or operation of a small business enterprise; and

b) Specific to the needs of the business or individual; and

c) Require a signed SBA Form 641 or equivalent form that supports SBA’s management information database.

8.1.6 Notice of Award – The legal document, signed by both SBA and a Recipient, that memorializes the award of funding under a Cooperative Agreement and contains the specific terms and conditions that apply to the award.

8.1.7 Project Period – The total period of performance for an award made under this Program funding opportunity, including the base and all option-year Budget Periods.

8.1.8 Recipient – A qualified organization that has been awarded funding under the funding opportunity.

8.1.9 Service-disabled veteran – a U.S. military veteran with a service-connected disability.

8.1.10 Technical Assistance – Counseling or training services provided to an individual and/or business in knowledge, information or experience on a business-related subject. The training must last for a minimum of one hour and include two or more individuals and/or businesses in attendance.

8.1.11 Training – is a workshop, seminar or similar activity or event which delivers a structured program of knowledge, information or experience on a business-related topic. The training must last for a minimum of one hour and include two or more individuals and/or businesses.

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8.2 Appendix – OMB Forms