Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 3.djvu/525

 PUBLIC LAW 105-135—DEC. 2, 1997 111 STAT. 2613 sum or installments, and in advance or by way of reimbursement. The Administration may disburse up to 25 percent of each year's Federal share awarded to a recipient organization after notice of the award has been issued and before the non- Federal sector matching funds are obtained. "(4) FAILURE TO OBTAIN NON-FEDERAL FUNDING.—I f any recipient of assistance fails to obtain the required non-Federal contribution during any project, it shall not be eligible thereafter for advance disbursements pursuant to paragraph (3) during the remainder of that project, or for any other project for which it is or may be funded by the Administration, and prior to approving assistance to such organization for any other projects, the Administration shall specifically determine whether the Administration believes that the recipient will be able to obtain the requisite non-Federal funding and enter a written finding setting forth the reasons for making such determination. "(d) CONTRACT AUTHORITY. —^A women's business center may enter into a contract with a Federal department or agency to provide specific assistance to women and other underserved small business concerns. Performance of such contract should not hinder the women's business centers in carrying out the terms of the grant received by the women's business centers from the Administration. "(e) SUBMISSION OF 5-YEAR PLAN.— Each applicant organization initially shall submit a 5-year plan to the Administration on proposed fundraising and training activities, and a recipient organization may receive financial assistance under this program for a maximum of 5 years per women's business center site. "(f) CRITERIA.— The Administration shall evaluate and rank applicants in accordance with predetermined selection criteria that shall be stated in terms of relative importance. Such criteria and their relative importance shall be made publicly available and stated in each solicitation for applications made by the Administration. The criteria shall include— "(1) the experience of the applicant in conducting programs or ongoing efforts designed to impart or upgrade the business skills of women business owners or potential owners; "(2) the present ability of the applicant to commence a project within a minimum amount of time; "(3) the ability of the applicant to provide training and services to a representative number of women who are both socially and economically disadvantaged; and "(4) the location for the women's business center site proposed by the applicant. " (g) OFFICE OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS OWNERSHIP. — " (1) ESTABLISHMENT.—T here is established within the Administration an Office of Women's Business Ownership, which shall be responsible for the administration of the Administration's programs for the development of women's business enterprises (as defined in section 408 of the Women's Business Ownership Act of 1988 (15 U.S.C. 631 note)). The Office of Women's Business Ownership shall be administered by an Assistant Administrator, who shall be appointed by the Administrator. " (2) ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR OF THE OFFICE OF WOMEN'S BUSINESS OWNERSHIP.—

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