State Trade and Export Promotion Pilot Grant Program
The Small Business Administration maintains and strengthens the nation's economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small businesses and by helping families and businesses recover from national disasters.
Addresses of SBA district offices are provided via www.SBA.gov.
Program Accomplishments
Fiscal Year 2010: Not applicable. Fiscal Year 2011: No current data available. Fiscal Year 2012: No current data available.
Uses and Use Restrictions
Funds are restricted export promotion activities that assist eligible small business concerns.
Reference STEP Pilot program announcement.
Reference STEP Pilot program announcement.
Eligibility Requirements
Applicant Eligibility
None.
Beneficiary Eligibility
None.
Credentials/Documentation
Documentation must include endorsement of the State Governor or his/her designee. OMB Circular No. A-87 applies to this program.
Aplication and Award Process
Preapplication Coordination
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Environmental impact information is not required for this program.
This program is excluded from coverage under E.O.
12372.
Application Procedures
OMB Circular No. A-102 applies to this program. This program is excluded from coverage under OMB Circular No. A-110. A state may not submit more than 1 application for a grant under the program in any 1 federal fiscal year. This program is subject to the provisions of 13 CFR 143 (Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to States and local governments); and OMB Circular A-87 (Cost Principles for State, Local, and Indian Tribal Governments). The proposal must be submitted via www.Grants.gov.
Award Procedures
SBA Headquarters executes cooperative agreements to approved applicants.
Deadlines
Contact the headquarters or regional office, as appropriate, for application deadlines.
Authorization
Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, Section 1207, Public Law 111-240.
Range of Approval/Disapproval Time
Prior to the end of the Federal fiscal year (i.e., September 30th).
Appeals
Varies with individual proposals.
Renewals
Applicants may apply each year of the 3-year term of the pilot program.
Assistance Considerations
Formula and Matching Requirements
Statutory formulas are not applicable to this program.
Matching Requirements: The 10 states with the highest number of exporters that are small business concerns based upon the latest data available from the Department of Commerce shall receive no more than 40 percent of the total Federal Fiscal year appropriation. The Federal Share of project cost for a State that has a high export volume will be 65%. The Federal share of project cost for a State that does not have a high export volume will be 75%. (The Associate Administrator for the SBA Office of International Trade will determine which States have the high volume of exports). The State must match the remainder of project cost. The match must be comprised of not less than 50% cash and not more than 50% of indirect costs and in-kind contributions. Matching funds may not be derived from any Federal program.
MOE requirements are not applicable to this program.
Length and Time Phasing of Assistance
Cooperative agreements are limited to 1 year. Payments are made by cost reimbursement or in advance as specified in the Notice of Award. See the following for information on how assistance is awarded/released: Reference STEP Pilot Program Announcement; STEP Management Plan; STEP Merit-based Review Process.
Post Assistance Requirements
Reports
Reference STEP Pilot Program Announcement and notice of award document.
Reference STEP Pilot Program Announcement and notice of award document.
Reference STEP Pilot Program Announcement and notice of award document.
Reference STEP Pilot Program Announcement and notice of award document.
Reference STEP Pilot Program Announcement and notice of award document.
Audits
In accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133. The legislation requires SBA s Office of Inspector General (OIG) to conduct a review that determines the extent the recipients of grants are measuring the performance of activities, the results of the measurements, and the overall management and effectiveness of the program. Also, in accordance with the provisions of OMB Circular No. A-133 (Revised, June 27, 2003), "Audits of States, Local governments, and non-Profit Organizations," nonfederal entities that expend financial assistance of $500,000 or more in Federal awards will have a single or a program-specific audit conducted for that year. Nonfederal entities that expend less than $500,000 a year in Federal awards are exempt from Federal audit requirements for that year, except as noted in Circular No. A-133.
Records
The SBA/Office of International Trade shall maintain detailed, complete, and accurate client activity records of sufficiency to reflect clearly the nature and variety of STEP trade promotion activities that are conducted to benefit small businesses. Financial records will be maintained until 3 years after the completion of the grant period.
Financial Information
Account Identification
73-0100-0-1-376.
Obigations
(Salaries) FY 10 $0; FY 11 $31,250,000; FY 12 $31,250,000
Range and Average of Financial Assistance
No data available.
Regulations, Guidelines, and Literature
STEP Pilot Program Announcement
Information Contacts
Regional or Local Office
See Regional Agency Offices. Addresses of SBA district offices are provided via www.SBA.gov.
Headquarters Office
SBA Executive Secretariat 409 3rd. Street, SW, Washington, District of Columbia 20416 Email: SBAExecSec@sba.gov Phone: 1-800-827-5722
Criteria for Selecting Proposals
Awards are competitive. Selection is made based on the applicant s written ability to meet the criteria stated in the program announcement; and the applicants ability to match funds.
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