Program Announcement

U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF VETERANS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (OVBD)

BOOTS TO BUSINESS: FROM SERVICE TO STARTUP TRAINING PROGRAM

FY 2014

PROGRAM ANNOUNCEMENT NO. B2B-2014-XX

Special Program Announcement for Eligible Organizations to provide entrepreneurial training to servicemembers and their family members at about 150 military bases within the United States as part of the entrepreneurial track of the Transition GPS program.

Opening Date: TBD Closing Date: TBD

Only applications from Eligible Organizations will be considered. In order to be eligible for this funding opportunity, an applicant must be a national association representing a network of organizations currently funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBC), or SCORE National Association Chapters. If no such national association exists, applications from individual organizations funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBC), and SCORE National Association Chapters will be considered for this funding opportunity.

This Program Announcement is subject to the availability of funding.

Proposals responding to this Program Announcement must be posted to www.grants.gov by TBD. No other submission will be permitted. Proposals after the stipulated deadline will be rejected without being evaluated.


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Table of Contents 1.0 Section I – Funding Opportunity Description .......................................................... 5

1.1 Program Overview .............................................................................................................. 5 1.2 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 6 1.3 Background ......................................................................................................................... 6 1.4 Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 7

1.5 Oversight ............................................................................................................................. 8

2.0 Section II – Award Information ....................................................................................... 9

2.1 Estimated Funding .............................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Expected Number of Awards .............................................................................................. 9 2.3 Anticipated Award Size ....................................................................................................... 9 2.4 Period of Performance ...................................................................................................... 14 2.5 Funding Information ......................................................................................................... 15 2.6 Funding Instrument .......................................................................................................... 15 2.7 Matching Requirement ..................................................................................................... 15 2.8 Project / Budget Periods ................................................................................................... 15 2.9 Cancellation or Modification ............................................................................................ 15

3.0 Section III – Eligible Applicants ..................................................................................... 16

3.1 Eligible Applicants ............................................................................................................. 16 3.2 Ineligible Applicants .......................................................................................................... 16



4.0 Section IV – Application and Submission ................................................................. 17

4.1 Application Information .................................................................................................... 17 4.2 Cover Letter and Table of Contents .................................................................................. 17 4.3 Technical Proposal ............................................................................................................ 17 4.4 Budget Information and Cost Proposal ............................................................................ 12 4.5 Certifications and Assurances ........................................................................................... 18 4.6 Attachments and Exhibits ................................................................................................. 19 4.7 Submission Instructions .................................................................................................... 19

4.8 Submission Dates .............................................................................................................. 20

5.0 Section V – Application Review ..................................................................................... 22

5.1 Evaluation Criteria ............................................................................................................ 22 5.2 Review and Selection Process ........................................................................................... 23

6.0 Section VI – Award Administration Information.................................................. 24

6.1 Award Notification ............................................................................................................ 24 6.2 Legal Requirements .......................................................................................................... 24 6.3 Reporting Requirements ................................................................................................... 24 6.4 Performance Reports ........................................................................................................ 24 6.5 Financial Reports ............................................................................................................... 25 6.6 Payments .......................................................................................................................... 25

7.0 Section VII – Agency Contacts ......................................................................................... 26

7.1 Program Management ...................................................................................................... 26



7.2 Grant Management .......................................................................................................... 26 7.3 Technical Support ............................................................................................................. 26

8.0 Section VIII – Other Information .................................................................................. 27

8.1 Statement of Understanding ............................................................................................ 27 8.2 Personal Information and Data Collection Practices ........................................................ 27 8.3 Dispute Resolution ............................................................................................................ 27 8.4 Announcement Definitions ............................................................................................... 27 8.5 Additional Instructions ...................................................................................................... 28



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 Training Program (B2B) 1.1.3 Announcement Type: Initial 1.1.4 Funding Opportunity Number: Program Announcement No. B2B-2014-X 1.1.5 CDFA Number: 59.044 1.1.6 Closing Date for Submissions: TBD 1.1.7 Authority: § 8 (b) (17) of the Small Business Act 15 U.S.C. § 637 (b) (17) Pub. L. 105–135, § 708, Pub. L. 108–447, § 144 1.1.8 Duration for Authority: Permanent 1.1.9 Funding Instrument: Cooperative Agreement 1.1.10 Funding: Funding is for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 through 2018. 1.1.11 Award Amount: A total of at least $2.1 million in funding is expected to

be available each year for this program in FY 2014 through 2018 – for a total of $10.5 million over five years under this announcement. SBA expects to make about ten to twelve awards. There are no matching funds requirements. However, the availability of additional funds or in-kind resources should be noted in the technical proposal.

1.1.12 Project Duration: Awards will be made for a base project period of

12 months, with up to 4 renewal option periods of 12 months each. Exercise of these options is at SBA’s discretion and is subject to continuing program authority, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance by the recipient organizations.



1.1.13 Project Starting Date: The project will commence within 30 calendar days of

the date of award. 1.1.14 Proposal Evaluation: Proposals will be reviewed for sufficiency as detailed in

Section 5.0. SBA may ask Applicants for clarification of the technical and costs aspects of their proposals. This must not be construed as a commitment to fund the proposed effort.

1.1.15 Agency Point of Contact: Janet Moorman, U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Veterans Business Development Tel: (202) 205-7419. Email: [email protected]

1.2 Introduction The Small Business Act provides for entrepreneurial training, business development assistance, counseling, and management assistance to small business owned and controlled by eligible veterans, as well as the authority to make grants to, and enter into contracts and cooperative agreements with education institutions, private businesses, veterans’ nonprofit community-based organizations, and federal, state, local, and tribal government agencies for the establishment of and implementation of outreach programs for veterans and service-disabled veterans. Since its inception in 1953, the Small Business Administration (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 to promote growth, expansion, innovations, increased productivity, and management improvements. The mission of SBA’s Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD), which bears responsibility for administering the Boots to Business Training Program, is to act as a liaison with the veterans business community; to write and review policy analysis and reporting; to act as Ombudsmen for Veterans in Small Business Administration programs; to provide business training and counseling assistance; and to oversee the federal procurement programs for veteran and service-disabled veteran-owned small businesses.

1.3 Background In August 2011, President Obama directed the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs to lead a task force to develop the first major redesign of the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP) in over 20 years. This new transition program, entitled Transition GPS, was rolled out throughout the Armed Forces in 2013. It includes: a pre-separation assessment and individual counseling, a five-day



core curriculum, a series of tailored career-specific tracks, and a capstone event. It will eventually be implemented during the course of a servicemembers’ career as part of the Military Life Cycle Model. As part of this program, SBA was directed to put together a tailored career-specific track for separating servicemembers (and their spouses and dependents) who wish to pursue self-employment and small business ownership. The Boots to Business Program was developed to meet that need. The track has three major elements: (1) a brief presentation providing exposure to the considerations of self-employment and small business ownership; (2) a two-day classroom instruction component providing an introduction to the foundations of self-employment and small business ownership; and (3) in depth-training delivered through online instruction, including a multi-week online course that leads to the creation of a business plan.

1.4 Purpose This announcement is for the delivery of the second element of that track, the two-day classroom instruction component, at about 150 military bases within the United States. Currently, classes are scheduled on these military bases by local SBA district offices. The district offices deliver these classes on these bases with their own personnel or they make arrangements to have SBA resource partners provide the instructors. The curriculum is administered by OVBD with support from other contractors and grantees. And, at the district office’s direction, the course materials are shipped to the district office, to the instructor, or to the base. Each class is delivered in eight one-hour modules over the course of two days. SBA resource partners are responsible for: (1) delivering one or more of these one-hour modules; and (2) facilitating a one-hour practical application exercise after those modules. SBA resource partners are also be responsible for: (1) coordinating with the district office to ensure that all of the necessary arrangements for the class are in place; (2) logging onto the Boots to Business website and accessing the instructor resources; (3) downloading the powerpoint presentation and familiarizing themselves with the content of the presentation, the curriculum, any relevant outside material pertaining to the subject-matter, and any applicable policies and procedures relating to the program; (4) going through the steps necessary to secure access to the classroom site on the base; (5) traveling to the base to deliver the class – bringing any necessary materials that are not already on-site with them, including a copy of the powerpoint presentation on a CD-ROM; and (6) complying with any reporting requirements established by the district office. If they obtain approval from the district office, an SBA resource partner may invite guest speakers to assist with their presentation. However, these guest speakers shall only be used to add greater depth and detail to the presentation – not to replace the instructor, who remains ultimately responsible for being physically present at all times and conducting the class at the site. The instructor may also bring in other outside materials to add greater depth and detail to the presentation. However, the instructor



shall not significantly alter the content of the curriculum and all changes and outside materials shall be approved in advance by the district office. Grant recipients shall be a national association representing a network of organizations currently funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), or SCORE National Association Chapters. If no such national association exists, applications from individual organizations funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), and SCORE National Association Chapters will be considered for this funding opportunity. National associations which are selected for this funding opportunity will be responsible for: (1) coordinating the distribution of all market and promotion materials for the Boots to Business program through their networks; (2) dispersing funds to their affiliated resource partners in accordance with a formula prescribed by the Office of Veteran’s Business Development; (3) assisting with the enforcement of all program policies and procedures; and (4) complying with any reporting requirements established by the Office of Veteran’s Business Development. Individual organizations which are selected for this funding opportunity will be responsible for: (1) delivering one or more of these one-hour modules; (2) facilitating a one-hour practical application exercise after those modules; (3) coordinating with the district office to ensure that all of the necessary arrangements for the class are in place; (4) logging onto the Boots to Business website and accessing the instructor resources; (5) downloading the powerpoint presentation and familiarizing themselves with the content of the presentation, the curriculum, any relevant outside material pertaining to the subject-matter, and any applicable policies and procedures relating to the program; (6) going through the steps necessary to secure access to the classroom site on the base; (7) traveling to the base to deliver the class – bringing any necessary materials that are not already on-site with them, including a copy of the powerpoint presentation on a CD-ROM; and (8) complying with any reporting requirements established by the district office.

1.5 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 payments.



2.0 Section II – Award Information

2.1 Estimated Funding SBA anticipates the amount of funding under this award to be $2,100,000 for each budget period. Available funding will be awarded to organizations proportionally based upon the number of modules delivered during the previous fiscal year. In the base year, the agency anticipated awarding thirty-five percent (35%) to organizations currently funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), six percent (6%) to organizations currently funded by SBA as Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), and twenty-three percent (23%) to organizations currently funded by SBA as SCORE National Association Chapters. These amounts are based upon the number of modules delivered by resource partners during the previous fiscal year. Thus, in the base year, $735,000 will be available to organizations currently funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), $126,000 will be available to organizations currently funded by SBA as Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), and $483,000 will be available to organizations currently funded by SBA as SCORE National Association Chapters. Funds will be released to awardees as they become available in accordance with the compensation formula established by OVBD. See Section 2.3 for further details.

2.2 Expected Number of Awards SBA anticipates making about ten to twelve awards under this Announcement.

2.3 Anticipated Award Size When SBA put together its initial budget request for submission to Congress, it operated off of a list of military bases and the desired frequency of classes at each base – provided by the Department of Defense. SBA calculated the cost of delivering the class at each of the bases on that list – using $100,000 for one FTE employee and the authorized government rates for travel to and from the district office. This figure represents the “in-house” cost of delivering the class. Individual resource partners are expected to receive one-tenth of that amount for each module (and the associated practical application exercise) they are tasked with providing by the district office. Twenty percent (20%) of the total amount allocated to each group of resource partners will retained by the affiliated national association for assisting with administration and management of the Boots to Business program. Thus, in the base year, $147,000 will be available to the national association affiliated with organizations currently funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), $25,200


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will be available to the national association affiliated with organizations currently funded by SBA as Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), and $96,600 will be available to the national association affiliated with organizations currently funded by SBA as SCORE National Association Chapters. Table 2.3 is provided for informational purposes only. It shows the military bases where the course is expected to be delivered, the expected frequency of classes at each base, and the amount expected to be allocated for each module. However, all resource partners are advised that SBA may make changes at any time and the amount allocated for each module may also change. Resource partners should also be advised that district offices have full discretion to make arrangements to deliver the modules on each base in any manner it sees fit – subject to the guidelines established by OVBD. Individual resource partners are only authorized to incur expenses up to the per module rate established by OVBD. No resource partner is guaranteed the right to deliver any module at any base. Resource partners will only be compensated at the rate established by OVBD for the modules they provide in accordance with arrangements made by SBA district offices with OVBD’s approval. Table 2.3 - Anticipated Compensation Amount (Per Module) Military Base Initial Estimate Appropriated # Classes Per Module Alabama Fort Rucker 6,178.34 5,526.20 4 138.16 Maxwell AFB 18,375.18 16,435.63 12 136.96 Alaska Eielson AFB 22,264.62 19,914.53 12 165.95 Fort Wainwright 11,745.03 10,505.31 6 175.09 JB Elmendorf-Richardson 18,660.76 16,691.06 16 104.32 Arizona Davis-Monthan AFB 17,096.46 15,291.89 12 127.43 Fort Huachuca 9,467.31 8,468.01 6 141.13 Luke AFB 14,469.76 12,942.44 12 107.85 MCAS Yuma 37,443.01 33,490.80 24 139.54 Arkansas Little Rock AFB 14,315.25 12,804.23 12 106.70 California Beale AFB 7,412.04 6,629.68 6 110.49 Edwards AFB 19,833.23 17,739.78 12 147.83 Fort Irwin 21,266.46 19,021.73 12 158.51 Los Angeles AFB 4,842.79 4,331.62 4 108.29 MCAGTC 29 Palms 62,121.07 55,564.02 36 154.34 MCAS Miramar 42,330.36 37,862.27 36 105.17


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MCB Camp Pendleton 60,415.17 54,038.18 48 112.58 MCRD San Diego 13,878.35 12,413.45 12 103.45 Monterey CA 5,663.30 5,065.52 4 126.64 NAS Lemoore 29,637.49 26,509.17 24 110.45 NAWS China Lake 6,595.70 5,899.51 4 147.49 NB San Diego 27,969.82 25,017.53 24 104.24 NB Ventura County 7,079.94 6,332.63 4 158.32 Travis AFB 7,577.20 6,777.41 6 112.96 Vandenberg AFB 7,106.58 6,356.46 4 158.91 Colorado Buckley AFB 11,956.01 10,694.02 10 106.94 Fort Carson 15,964.26 14,279.19 12 118.99 Peterson AFB/Schriever AFB 32,269.52 28,863.38 24 120.26 Connecticut NSB New London 5,061.24 4,527.01 4 113.18 Delaware Dover AFB 7,650.46 6,842.94 6 114.05 District of Columbia Fort McNair 4,946.69 4,424.55 4 110.61 JB Anacostia-Bolling 7,437.34 6,652.31 6 110.87 Florida Eglin AFB 26,035.02 23,286.96 12 194.06 Hurlburt Field 26,328.06 23,549.06 12 196.24 MacDill AFB 7,129.65 6,377.10 6 106.28 NAS Jacksonville 2,374.33 2,123.71 2 106.19 NAS Key West 8,336.18 7,456.27 4 186.41 NAS Pensacola 9,086.82 8,127.68 4 203.19 NAS Whiting Field 8,918.10 7,976.77 4 199.42 NS Mayport 4,775.30 4,271.26 4 106.78 Patrick AFB 17,416.14 15,577.82 12 129.82 Tyndall AFB 24,756.30 22,143.21 12 184.53 Georgia Fort Benning 16,963.26 15,172.74 12 126.44 Fort Gordon 8,787.99 7,860.40 6 131.01 Fort Stewart 20,213.34 18,079.77 12 150.66 Hunter AAF 6,844.34 6,121.90 4 153.05 MCLB Albany 18,748.14 16,769.23 12 139.74 Moody AFB 20,000.22 17,889.15 12 149.08 NSB Kings Bay 22,877.34 20,462.58 12 170.52 Robins AFB 5,547.86 4,962.27 4 124.06 Wright-Patterson AFB 15,412.82 13,785.95 12 114.88 Guam Andersen AFB 14,243.32 12,739.90 12 106.17


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NB Guam 14,062.17 12,577.87 12 104.82 Hawaii JB Pearl Harbor - Hickam 4,662.53 4,170.38 4 104.26 MCB Hawaii 42,610.08 38,112.47 36 105.87 Schofield Barracks 4,807.27 4,299.85 4 107.50 Idaho Mountain Home AFB 4,979.54 4,453.94 4 111.35 Illinois NS Great Lakes 4,920.05 4,400.72 4 110.02 Scott AFB 8,189.92 7,325.45 6 122.09 Indiana Camp Atterbury 15,276.95 13,664.43 12 113.87 Kansas Fort Riley 5,681.06 5,081.41 4 127.04 McConnell AFB 13,990.24 12,513.53 12 104.28 Kentucky Fort Campbell 37,549.57 33,586.11 24 139.94 Fort Knox 14,805.42 13,242.67 12 110.36 Louisiana Barksdale AFB 7,679.06 6,868.52 4 171.71 Fort Polk 10,093.35 9,027.97 6 150.47 NAS JRB New Orleans 7,096.35 6,347.31 6 105.79 Maryland Aberdeen Proving Ground 4,886.30 4,370.54 4 109.26 Fort Detrick 5,063.90 4,529.39 4 113.23 Fort Meade 28,460.00 25,455.97 24 106.07 JB Andrews 15,002.56 13,419.00 12 111.82 NAS Patuxent River 5,451.07 4,875.69 4 121.89 NSA Annapolis 4,846.34 4,334.80 4 108.37 NSA Bethesda/Walter Reed NMMC 19,783.19 17,695.02 16 110.59 Massachussetts Hanscom AFB 8,063.38 7,212.27 6 120.20 Mississippi Camp Shelby 8,241.87 7,371.92 6 122.87 Columbus AFB 9,094.35 8,134.42 6 135.57 Keesler AFB 18,162.06 16,245.01 12 135.38 NAS Meridian 16,750.14 14,982.12 12 124.85 NCBC Gulfport 18,055.50 16,149.70 12 134.58 Missouri Fort Leavenworth 7,329.45 6,555.81 6 109.26 Fort Leonard Wood 16,398.50 14,667.59 12 122.23 Whiteman AFB 15,743.15 14,081.42 12 117.35 Montana


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Malmstrom AFB 5,443.08 4,868.55 4 121.71 Nebraska Offut AFB 14,355.21 12,839.98 12 107.00 Nevada NAS Fallon 24,022.86 21,487.18 12 179.06 New Hampshire NSY Portsmouth 5,142.93 4,600.08 4 115.00 New Jersey JB McGuire/Dix/Lakehurst 38,798.44 34,703.16 30 115.68 NWS Earle 4,981.32 4,455.53 4 111.39 New Mexico Cannon AFB 19,547.34 17,484.07 12 145.70 Holloman AFB 19,547.34 17,484.07 12 145.70 Kirtland AFB 14,128.77 12,637.44 12 105.31 New York Fort Drum 5,338.29 4,774.82 4 119.37 NSA Saratoga Springs 5,849.78 5,232.32 4 130.81 West Point 15,250.31 13,640.60 12 113.67 North Carolina Fort Bragg 41,254.21 36,899.71 24 153.75 Fort Bragg - 82nd Airborne 38,483.65 34,421.59 24 143.42 MCAS Cherry Point 51,430.69 46,002.04 24 191.68 MCAS New River 47,701.09 42,666.11 24 177.78 MCB Camp Lejeune 104,622.19 93,579.04 52 179.96 Seymour Johnson AFB 11,752.11 10,511.64 6 175.19 North Dakota Grand Forks AFB 16,289.27 14,569.89 12 121.42 Minot AFB 21,358.86 19,104.38 12 159.20 Oklahoma Altus AFB 17,442.78 15,601.65 12 130.01 Fort Sill 5,373.81 4,806.59 4 120.16 Tinker AFB 4,696.27 4,200.57 4 105.01 Vance AFB 5,373.81 4,806.59 4 120.16 Pennsylvania Carlisle Barracks 16,537.02 14,791.50 12 123.26 Rhode Island NS Newport 4,900.51 4,383.25 4 109.58 South Carolina Fort Jackson 17,016.54 15,220.40 12 126.84 JB Charleston 27,895.23 24,950.81 24 103.96 MCAS Beaufort 31,406.38 28,091.35 24 117.05 Shaw AFB 8,200.58 7,334.99 6 122.25 South Dakota


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Ellsworth AFB 7,581.38 6,781.15 4 169.53 Tennessee NSA Midsouth Memphis 6,400.34 5,724.77 4 143.12 Texas Dyess AFB 6,018.50 5,383.23 4 134.58 Fort Bliss 20,957.39 18,745.28 18 104.14 Fort Hood 21,427.76 19,166.01 16 119.79 Fort Hood 28,071.12 25,108.14 16 156.93 Goodfellow AFB 7,550.58 6,753.60 4 168.84 JBSA Ft. Sam Houston 14,134.10 12,642.20 12 105.35 JBSA Lackland AFB 4,839.24 4,328.44 4 108.21 JBSA Randolph AFB 14,200.70 12,701.77 12 105.85 Laughlin AFB 21,559.50 19,283.84 12 160.70 NAS Corpus Christi/Kingsville 5,876.42 5,256.15 4 131.40 NAS JRB Fort Worth 4,844.57 4,333.21 4 108.33 Sheppard AFB 5,174.90 4,628.68 4 115.72 Utah Hill AFB 7,281.50 6,512.92 6 108.55 Virginia Fort Belvoir 15,327.57 13,709.70 12 114.25 Fort Lee 14,778.78 13,218.84 12 110.16 JB Langley-Eustis 25,797.84 23,074.81 16 144.22 JB Myer-Henderson Hall 34,937.60 31,249.84 28 111.61 MCB Quantico 38,702.09 34,616.98 24 144.24 NAS Oceana 20,200.86 18,068.61 12 150.57 NAS South Potomoc (NSWC Dahlgren) 6,502.74 5,816.36 4 145.41 NMC Portsmouth 6,627.06 5,927.56 4 148.19 NS Norfolk 43,018.18 38,477.49 26 147.99 Pentagon 7,425.36 6,641.59 6 110.69 Washington Fairchild AFB 17,536.02 15,685.05 12 130.71 JB Lewis-McChord 14,419.14 12,897.16 12 107.48 NAS Whidbey Island 5,001.74 4,473.79 4 111.84 NB Kitsap 4,881.86 4,366.57 4 109.16 NS Everett 4,864.10 4,350.68 4 108.77 Wyoming F.E. Warren AFB 6,178.34 5,526.20 4 138.16

2.4 Period of Performance Awards will be made for up to a 5-year period of performance, consisting of a base period of 12 months from the date of award and up to four renewal option periods of 12 months each. Exercise of the option


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periods will be solely at SBA’s discretion and is subject to continuing program authority, the availability of funds, and the recipient’s continued satisfactory performance and compliance.

2.5 Funding Information Funds provided under the Boots to Business Program must be used solely for the purposes stipulated in this announcement and the notice of award and for any follow-up counseling and training activities related to this program – provided that such costs shall not exceed the per module compensation rate established by OVBD. Funds 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. Indirect costs will be capped at a maximum of 25 percent regardless of the amount stipulated in an applicant’s indirect cost rate agreement. SBA will not reimburse applicants for their proposal preparation costs. No federal funds provided through an award under this announcement, or matching contributions dedicated to such an award, may be used for the purpose of making a sub-grant. While subcontracting is permitted, successful applicants may not spend more than 20 percent of award funds on subcontracts. Additionally, under no circumstances may successful applicants contract out the administration or day-to-day management of this project to any other party.

2.6 Funding Instrument The funding instrument used will be a cooperative agreement

2.7 Matching Requirement None. However, applicants should note the availability of any additional funds and in-kind contributions pledged to this project in their technical proposals.

2.8 Project / Budget Periods The total project period for an award made under this program announcement, including the base period and all options if exercised, would be sixty months. Each budget period will be twelve months.

2.9 Cancellation or Modification SBA reserves the right to amend or cancel this Announcement, in whole or in part, at the agency’s discretion. Should SBA make material changes to this Announcement, the agency will extend the closing date as necessary to afford applicants sufficient opportunity to address such changes.


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3.0 Section III – Eligible Applicants

3.1 Eligible Applicants An organization may submit only one proposal in response to this announcement. Any additional applications from the same entity will automatically be rejected without being evaluated. In order to be eligible for this funding opportunity, an applicant must be a national association representing a network of organizations currently funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBC), or SCORE National Association Chapters. If no such national association exists, applications from individual organizations funded by SBA as Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), Women’s Business Centers (WBC), and SCORE National Association Chapters will be considered for this funding opportunity.

3.2 Ineligible Applicants The following organizations will automatically be considered ineligible and their applications will be rejected without being evaluated. o Any organization that is not a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Lead Center, a

Women’s Business Center (WBC), a SCORE National Association Chapter, or a Veterans Business Development Center (VBOC);

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

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

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

o Any organization that has a grant or cooperative agreement involuntarily terminated or non-renewed by SBA for cause;

o Any organization that has filed for bankruptcy within the past five years; and o Any organization that proposes to serve as a pass-through and permit another organization to

manage the day-to-day operations of the project.


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4.0 Section IV – Application and Submission

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

4.2 Cover Letter and Table of Contents The first page of each application must be a cover letter which contains the following information: o Statement that the application is in response to the Program Announcement No. B2B 2014-XX; o Applicant’s name and address; o Applicant’s website address; o Name, telephone number, fax number, and email address for the applicant’s designated point of

contact; and o Dollar amount of assistance being requested. Applicant must also include a table of contents that lists the major paragraphs of the proposal and associated page numbers.

4.3 Technical Proposal (Not to exceed 10 pages, excluding attachments and exhibits). a. The applicant will provide a project overview (one-page, or less) that acts as an executive summary of the objective of the project which will include the persons composing the applicant team and the identified state or region covered by the proposed activities. b. The technical proposal should succinctly summarize an applicant’s vision and plan for providing delivery of the two-day classroom instruction component and for any follow-up counseling and training activities related to this program. c. The supporting documentation must be attached to the technical proposal, when applicable. The Applicant must provide the following: o Identification of project director and key management personnel and staff; including resumes

(position descriptions for unfilled positions). Resumes must include experience relevant to this project and may not be more than two pages in length. Copies of resumes must be included as attachments and do not count toward the 10-page limit;


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o 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 and do not count toward the 10-page limit;

o An organizational chart; o A timetable of milestones for the 12-month Budget Period; o An evaluation methodology to measure the outcomes of the project objectives; o A plan to measure program effectiveness on a quarterly basis within the grant period; and, o Identification of any additional funds or in-kind resources that will be expended in furtherance

of the project. d. Budget information must be provided through the completion or submission of the following: o Standard Form (SF) 424, Application for Federal Assistance; o SF-424A Budget Information (Non-Construction Programs); o Budget Detail Worksheet (Attachments A-9 through A-12 and the SF-424A). o Budget narrative providing a brief, detailed explanation of the components of each cost element

listed in the SF-424A; o Copy of Applicant’s Cost Policy Statement; and o 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. Regardless of the Applicant’s approved rate, SBA will cap indirect costs charged to an award made under this Announcement at 25 percent.

4.5 Certifications and Assurances Each Applicant must complete and submit the following forms: o SBA Form 1623, Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, and Other Responsibility

Matters; o SF-LLL, Disclosure for Lobbying Activities; o 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 215, Uniform Administrative 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].


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4.6 Attachments and Exhibits Each Applicant must attach copies of the following to its proposal: o Resumes, position descriptions, contracts, consulting agreements, letters of support, pledges of

additional funding or in-kind resources, leases, conflict of interest policy, and cost policy statement;

o 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; and

o Any other documentation the Applicant believes supports its proposal

4.7 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/applications/app_help_reso.isp. In order to submit an application via grants.gov, an organization is first required to have a DUNS number, be registered with the System for Award Management (SAM), 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/applicants/get_registered.isp. 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 SAM 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 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 5.2 below.


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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 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 or grants.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/applicatns/app_help_res.jsp. 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

4.8 Submission Dates Each Applicant is required to submit its proposal electronically via www.grants.gov no later than TBD. Because of the re-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 grants.gov and review the submission instructions early. DO NOT WAIT UNTIL 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 Announcement 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


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manner but was unable to do so solely because of grants.gov system 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/help/help.jsp or by calling 1-800-518-4726.


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5.0 Section V – Application Review

5.1 Evaluation Criteria All timely, materially complete applications received from the eligible organizations will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed below: 5.1.1 Organizational Experience and Capacity (40 Points) National associations applying for funding under this grant opportunity will be evaluated primarily on their demonstrated ability to coordinate the distribution of all market and promotion materials and to disperse funds to their affiliated resource partners in accordance with a formula prescribed by the Office of Veteran’s Business Development. Strong proposals will demonstrate skill and experience in the administration and management of a network of SBA resource partners. Individual organizations applying for funding under this grant opportunity will be evaluated primarily on their demonstrated ability to deliver the two-day classroom instruction component. Strong proposals will demonstrate that the instructors have in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, previous experience providing entrepreneurial training to veterans (preferably the Boots to Business Program), and skill establishing a personal connection and rapport with the servicemembers and family members who will be the target audience. Explain how the applicant’s instructors will each bring unique contributions to deliver superior results and provide a detailed plan for coordination and collaboration among all members of the team. 5.1.2 SBA & Resource Partner Collaboration (25 Points) Applicants will identify how the team will with work with the district offices, with other resource partners, and with base transition assistance personnel. Strong proposals will also show previous support for veterans and other SBA programs (specifically the Boots to Business Program) – as well as the ability to provide any follow-up counseling and training activities related to this program. 5.1.3 Market Assessment (15 Points) Provide a narrative description of the target markets to be served. Specifically identify the bases to be served. Strong proposals will demonstrate an understanding for the servicemembers and family members at these locations and use data to support assertions. 5.1.3 Project Objectives and Performance Metrics (10 Points) Provide a narrative description of the services provided, the approach to implementing the project, the objective of the project, and the milestones to be measured. Describe the evaluation process and


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method used for measuring the outcomes of its objectives and its compliance with all required financial, performance, customer-satisfaction, and follow-up reporting. 5.1.4 Innovation (10 Points) Describe unique or innovative approaches to delivering the project.

5.2 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 all required forms and/or provide the required level of detail. Applications that are not rejected by the grants.gov or SBA’s screening process will be evaluated by teams of reviewers and scored on the basis of how well they meet the criteria outlined above. These reviewers may be SBA employees or employers of other federal agencies. The maximum score any application can receive is 100 points. Prior to evaluating applications received in response to this Announcement, SBA will establish a minimum acceptable score. Only those applications that meet or exceed that threshold will be eligible for funding. Applicants are therefore encouraged to design proposals that address each of the scoring criteria listed above as thoroughly as possible.


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6.0 Section VI – Award Administration Information

6.1 Award Notification The Applicant selected for the award will receive written notification. Applicants not selected for awards will not be notified. There will be no debriefing process for unsuccessful Applications.

6.2 Legal Requirements The successful Application will be required to comply with the requirement set forth in 2 C.F.R. Parts 215, 220, 225, and 230; 13 C.F.R. Part 143, and OMB Circular A-133 (as applicable); 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 Announcement of new legal requirements and/or policy initiatives with which they must agree to comply.

6.3 Reporting Requirements 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.

6.4 Performance Reports 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. Each quarterly performance report shall include a narrative which includes discussion on the following: o progress toward expected outcomes and success measures; o a discussion of problems encountered and steps taken or proposed to correct those problems.

This comparison must incorporate the evaluation measurement template(s) (this may be in the form of a template to easily track progress. If cumulative in nature, a brief analysis during each reporting period is required);

o a comparison of project tasks to actual accomplishments and identification of the reasons for slippage and a plan of action to address them, where applicable; and

o copies of résumés and subcontracts relating to the current budget period, if not previously submitted.


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As part of its fourth quarter performance report, Recipients must include a more extensive narrative with a well-organized description of the work performed to date, annual accomplishments, and any difficulties encountered. In addition, it must summarize the entire budget period, detailing the project’s objectives, results, impact and recommendations for duplication and best practices. It must also include: o a summary of the activities funded by the grant; o the number of servicemembers and their family members assisted under the project; o any additional information deemed necessary by the Associate Administrator; and o expected outcomes achieved.

6.5 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.

6.6 Payments Grantee may request advance payment. No advance payments authorized for the final quarter of the project period. Payment requests must be sent to the GOTR electronically. The Recipient must submit the following with each request: o Standard Form 270 - Request for Advance or Reimbursement; o Standard Form 425 - Federal Financial Report; and o Detailed Expenditures Worksheet (Direct Cost Budget, Personnel List and Indirect Cost

Worksheet) must be filled out completely as instructed on the form and must be aligned with the original budget, and the budget and performance report narrative. Explanations in the budget narrative must encompass expenditures and reasons for expenditures. The SF 270 must show the period that the advance will cover. The budget and performance narrative must support the actual expenditures covered by the request.


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7.0 Section VII – Agency Contacts

7.1 Program Management Questions concerning general information contained in this Announcement should be directed to the GOTR, Janet Moorman, at [email protected].

7.2 Grant Management Questions concerning budgetary matters related to this Announcement should be directed to [email protected]

7.3 Technical Support For technical support with filing an electronic application in response to this Announcement, contact the Grants.gov help desk at 1-800-518-4726 or [email protected].


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8.0 Section VIII – Other Information

8.1 Statement of Understanding If any portion of this Program Announcement conflicts the Small Business Act, SBA’s regulations (13 C.F.R.), the relevant OMB circulars (2 C.F.R.) or SBA’s policy notices, all of the above will control and take precedence.

8.2 Personal Information and Data Collection Practices The SBA will have an unlimited license and all rights to use data (excluding private client data), including those prepared or stored electronically, which are generated either partially or fully under this Grant, including materials that are copyrighted.

8.3 Dispute Resolution Dispute resolution occurs when there is a programmatic or financial disagreement between the recipient organization and the SBA and the recipient organization requests that the dispute be handled by SBA in a formal manner. Any dispute arising after award of the Grant will be resolved in the manner prescribed and within the time frames stated in SBA regulations and the Notice of Award. Every effort will be made to resolve disputes.

8.4 Announcement Definitions The following definitions apply to awards made under this Announcement. 8.4.1 Applicant – an eligible Institution of Higher Learning that applies for funding under this Program announcement. 8.4.2 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 Announcement, the initial budget period will be from TBD. Each option year, if exercised, will constitute a separate budget period. 8.4.3 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.


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8.4.4 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. 8.4.5 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: o Substantive in nature and concern the formation, management, financing, and/or operation of a

small business enterprise; and o Specific to the needs of the business or individual; and o Require a signed SBA Form 641 or equivalent form that supports SBA’s management

information database. 8.4.6 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. 8.4.7 Project Period – The total period of performance for an award made under this Program Announcement, including the base and all option-year Budget Periods. 8.4.8 Recipient – A qualified Institution of Higher Learning that has been awarded funding under the Program Announcement. 8.4.9 Resource Partner – An organizations currently funded by SBA as a Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a Women’s Business Center (WBC), a SCORE National Association Chapter, or a Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC). 8.4.10 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. 8.4.11 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.

8.5 Additional Instructions 8.5.1 Instructions for Completing the SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance) Item 1 Enter: "Application" Item 2 Enter: "New" Item 3 Completed by Grants.gov upon submission.


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Item 4 Leave Blank Item 5a Leave Blank Item 5b Leave Blank Item 6-7 Refer to instructions at end of form. Item 8-9 Refer to instructions at end of form. Item 10 Enter: “U.S. Small Business Administration” Item 11 Enter: [59.044] and [Boots to Business] Item 12 Enter: Program Announcement No. [B2B]-2014-01 Item 13 Leave Blank Item 14 Applicants must specifically identify each city, county, and state that will be affected by

its project. Item 15 Self Explanatory Item 16 Refer to instruction at end of form. Item 17 Leave Blank Item 18 Self Explanatory Item 19 Check Box C. The Boots to Business Program is not covered by E.O. 12372. Item 20 Refer to instructions at end of form. Item 21 Self Explanatory 8.5.2 Instructions for Completing the SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction Programs) The budget is the Applicant’s estimate of the total cost of performing the project for which funding is being requested under this Announcement during the applicable Budget Period. The budget is to be based upon the total amount of funds that will be devoted to the project, including Federal funds, contributions from non-Federal sources, and program income (as applicable). All proposed costs reflected in the budget must be relevant to the conduct of the project and must be reasonable, allowable, and allocable under the applicable OMB Cost Principles and Agency policies. All costs must be justified and itemized by unit cost in the Budget Narrative/Budget Detail Worksheet. All forms contained in the financial application package must be completed accurately and in full. Enter the following information in the appropriate sections: Section A - Budget Summary Column A: Enter “[Boots to Business] Program” Column B: Enter “[59.044]” Section B – Budget Categories Complete lines 6a – 6k, entering amounts by budget category, labeling columns 1- 5 as follows: 1 – Federal 2 – Non-Federal Cash 3 – Non-Federal In-Kind 4 – Program Income


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5 – Totals All amounts entered in this section must be expressed in terms of whole dollars. The itemization must reflect the total requirements for project funding from both Federal and non-Federal sources. Section C – Non-Federal Resources Refer to instructions on form. Section D – Forecasted Cash Needs Refer to instructions on form. Section E – Budget Estimates Refer to instructions on form. Section F – Other Budget Information Direct Charges: Transfer the total direct charges from Section B, line 6i. Indirect Charges: Transfer the total direct charges from Section B, line 6j. Section G - Personnel List the name, title, salary for each employee who will be paid with project funds and the estimated amount of time each will devote to this project. NOTE: Fees, expenses, and the estimated amount of time to be devoted to the project for outside consultants/contractors belongs in the contractual line item, not here. Section H - Fringe Benefits Leave blank if fringe benefits applicable to direct salaries and wages are treated as part of indirect costs in the Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (ICRA). If your organization’s fringe benefit package is not included in your ICRA, list each component included as a fringe benefit. Section I - Indirect Charges Enter the indirect cost rate, date, and Federal agency that issued your ICRA. If your organization does not have an approved ICRA, you must negotiate an ICRA with SBA in accordance with the applicable OMB Cost Principles. Section J - Justification of Costs All proposed costs require justification and narrative explanation. Section K - Miscellaneous or Contingency Costs Leave blank. No miscellaneous or contingency costs are allowed. Section L - Proposal Costs Leave blank. SBA will not pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of a proposal.

Documents

Program Announcement