MBDA Business Center Solicitation Spring 2011

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) has announced a solicitation for competitive applications from prospective candidates to operate MBDA Business Centers (MBC) in the following three locations:

The strategic business consulting services provided by the MBDA Business Centers will generate increased financing, public and private sector contract opportunities and related awards to minority businesses. In addition, the services will help minority-owned firms create and retain jobs.

Three Individual Cooperative Agreements

  * MBDA intends to award three (3) individual cooperative agreements to manage and run the MBDA Business Centers beginning September 1, 2011.
  *The grant award period under this solicitation is five years and successful applicants will initially be funded for the first award year with subsequent funding periods subject to MBDA Business Center performance and funding availability.
  *MBDA anticipates a total of $855,000 will be available annually to fund the financial assistance awards from FY 2011 through FY 2015.

MBDA Business Center

Each MBDA Business Center is strategically located in areas with significant levels of minority population and minority-owned firms. Not limited by geographic regions, the MBDA Business Centers may serve minority businesses in all fifty states and Puerto Rico.

The MBDA Business Centers are part of the MBDA nationwide services network - they will collaborate with one another, MBDA staff and private sector strategic partners to serve minority-owned businesses and achieve program goals.
Eligible Applicants

For-profit entities (including but not limited to sole-proprietorships, partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations), non-profit organizations, state and local government entities, American Indian Tribes and educational institutions are all eligible to apply to operate the MBDA Business Centers.
Submission Requirements

Applications must be submitted electronically and time-stamped at www.grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight-Saving Time (EDT) on May 5, 2011. Applications that are time-stamped after the deadline will not be considered.

Applicants must review and adhere to the full Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) announcement.  This document outlines program details and instructions for submitting and application. Download a MBDA Business Center Grant Application.

Note: The MBDA Business Center program is not a grant program to start or to expand an individual business. Applications must be to operate a MBDA Business Center and to provide business consulting services to eligible minority-owned firms as set forth in the Federal Funding Opportunity. Applications that do not meet these requirements will not be considered by MBDA for funding.

Pre-Application Teleconference

MBDA will conduct a pre-application teleconference on April 7, 2011. The time of the pre-application teleconference has yet to be determined. Participants must register at least 24 hours in advance of the conference. Pre-Application conference details are forthcoming; please continue to visit the MBDA Internet Portal at www.mbda.gov for more information.

The below materials are based on the Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) for the MBDA Business Center program and are intended to provide information to interested parties concerning the MBC Program and the preparation of an application for funding under this competitive solicitation.  The informational materials are not a substitute for the MBC application and program requirements set forth in the FFO.  Should there be any inconsistencies between the FFO and the informational materials, the FFO is the controlling document and shall prevail.
Instructional Videos

  *Steps to Register and Apply for the MBDA Business Center Grant
  *How to Write a Strong Program Narrative?
  *Panel Review Process for MBDA Business Center Grant Applications