The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) plans to issue Program Announcement No.

SBDC-2009-0007 to invite all applicants from eligible organizations to provide technical and financial assistance services to small businesses which implement Drug Free Workplace Programs, subject

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to continued authorization and funding.

The successful applicant will receive a cooperative agreement award for two years plus one option for two years, subject to continued authorization and funding to provide technical and financial assistance to small businesses which implement Drug Free Workplace Programs.

Current DFWP grantees are not eligible to apply.

The authorizing legislation is ? 27 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C.

? 654) permits the SBA to provide funding to eligible intermediaries and Small Business Development Center (SBDC) via cooperative agreements in order to financially and technically assist small businesses in establishing drug-free workplace programs.

It also requires recipients of SBDC grants to provide information and assistance to small businesses with respect to establishing DFWP programs and authorized SBA to provide additional funding to SBDCs for that purpose.

In establishing these DFWP programs, as contemplated by the Act, eligible intermediaries and SBDCs should provide outreach to the small business community, supervisory training, and voluntary education for parents.

Outreach must include educating small businesses on the benefits of a drug-free workplace and encouraging small business employers and employees to participate in drug-free workplace programs.

Congress renamed the DFWP program the ?Paul D.

Coverdell Drug-Free Workplace Program,? to honor the late Senator Paul D.

Coverdell who was the sponsor of the original legislation.

On December 8, 2004, the Consolidated FY2005 Appropriations bill, made further changes to the Drug Free Workplace Program.

Among the significant changes made by that statute was an amendment to expressly permit those organizations that specialize in drug prevention services to communities and small businesses, particularly community anti-drug coalitions, to serve as eligible intermediaries.

Questions about the program announcement should be directed to Rachel Karton, Small Business Development Center Office, at 202-619-181 6. Questions about budget or funding matter should be directed to Patricia Branch, Agreement Officer at electronic.grants@sba.gov.