MED Week Awards Program Brochure

U.S. Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency

MINORITY ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (MED) WEEK 2009 AWARDS PROGRAM BROCHURE

www.medweek.gov

2/4/2021

OVERVIEW

The Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce is the only federal agency dedicated exclusively to fostering the establishment and growth of minority businesses in the United States. MBDA and its network of business centers serve minority entrepreneurs who are pursuing growth in size, scale and capacity. In doing so, minority firms are better positioned to create new jobs, impact local economies and expand into national and global marketplaces.

The MED Week Awards Program is designed to celebrate and recognize the outstanding achievements of minority entrepreneurs as well as individuals and organizations that have demonstrated leadership and commitment in advancing minority business enterprise. The diversity of the awardees, as it pertains to the constituency served by MBDA, is a key objective of the MED Week Awards Program.

The awards are commemorative and will be given in the following categories: Minority Construction Firm of the Year, Minority Manufacturer of the Year, Minority Retail or Service Firm of the Year, Minority Technology Firm of the Year, Minority Supplier Distributor of the Year, Advocate of the Year, Media Award, Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award, Access to Capital Award, Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award and Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement.

National Enterprise Center (NEC) Awards will be given in all categories, except the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award and the Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement, in ceremonies in MBDA’s Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, New York and San Francisco National Enterprise Centers, respectively. The National MED Week Awards, which include all of the awards referenced above, will be given at the annual MED Week Awards Gala held in Washington, D.C.

MBDA will contact winners by phone and may post their names, pictures, and biographies on the MBDA (www.mbda.gov) and MED Week (www.medweek.gov) websites.

Complete electronic or paper nominations must be received by the appropriate MBDA NEC or headquarters office no later than 5:00 p.m. local time on May 29, 2009.

If you have any questions regarding the MED Week Awards Program please contact the appropriate MED Week Coordinator at the number referenced in the Instructions or Stephen Boykin at the Minority Business Development Agency, Office of Legislative, Education and Intergovernmental Affairs, at (202) 482-1712 or via email at [email protected].

KEY TIMEFRAMES

2009 MBDA AWARDS PROGRAM

May 29, 2009.................Deadline For Receipt Of Nominations

June 2009.......................Regional Winners Expected to be Announced

August 2009...................National Winners Expected to be Announced

MINORITY ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT (MED) WEEK 2009

AWARD NOMINATION FORM

Award Category: ______________________________________________________________________________

1. NOMINEE INFORMATION

Name/Title of Nominee: ________________________________________________________________________

Street Address of Business: _____________________________________________________________________

City, State, Zip Code: __________________________________________________________________________

Nominee Contact Person: _______________________________________________________________________

Email Address of Nominee: _____________________________________________________________________

Telephone No.: ________________________________________________________________________________

Fax No.: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Web Address: _________________________________________________________________________________

Type of Organization/Business (Brief description) ___________________________________________________

Congressional District(s) of Nominee: _____________________________________________________________

Is the individual nominee a member of a minority served by MBDA or is the business nominee (as the case may be) owned or controlled by one or more minority persons served by MBDA? Please refer to the Nominee Eligibility section on page 6 of this package for a listing of the minorities served by MBDA.

______ (Yes or No)

If yes, please identify the minority or minorities represented __________________________________________

II. NOMINATOR INFORMATION

Nominator’s Name: ____________________________________________________________________________

Title: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Organization/Business: _________________________________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________________________________________

Fax No. ______________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone No: ________________________________________________________________________________

E-mail Address: ______________________________________________________________________________

I certify that to the best of my knowledge the substantive statements in this application are true and accurate.

Nominator signature and Date __________________________________________________________________

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING NOMINATIONS

• Nomination packages are distributed by MBDA to MBDA funded organizations, non-governmental organizations and to other interested parties. The nomination package will also be accessible via the MBDA (www.mbda.gov) and the MED Week (www.medweek.gov) websites.

• Nominations may be submitted by individuals or organizations in any category applicable and may be submitted for more than one award category. Self-nominations are also permitted. In addition, nominations may be submitted by MBDA staff or by representatives of MBDA funded projects. However, nominations may not be submitted by members of the NEC or headquarters review panels or by MBDA Selecting Officials.

• Nominations should address the specific evaluation criterion applicable to the award category. Narratives should be thorough and concise, but should not exceed five pages total.

• The nomination package is comprised of the: (1) nomination form; (2) narratives addressing the specific evaluation criterion; and (3) biography of the nominee or an overview of the organization (as applicable).

• Do not include any additional materials, such as promotional materials, annual reports, etc., unless the question for the applicable category specifically calls for it.

• Do not submit photographs. Category winners will be asked to provide this item after the selection process is completed.

• Nominations may be sent by U.S. mail, courier service, or by electronic mail. However, the complete nomination package must be sent by only one of these methods. Nominees are advised that security screening could delay delivery of U.S. mail. Delivery by a courier service or by electronic mail is therefore recommended.

• Nominations for all MED Week awards, with the exception of the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award and the Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement, should be sent or emailed to the appropriate MBDA NEC office listed below, based on the nominee’s principal place of business or residence (as the case may be). In addition, please contact the applicable MED Week Coordinator should you have any questions.

• MBDA San Francisco National Enterprise Center

221 Main Street, San Francisco, CA 94105

Attention: Albert Eskanazi, (415) 744-3001

Email: [email protected]

Nominations from: Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington

• MBDA Chicago National Enterprise Center

55 E. Monroe Street, Suite 2810, Chicago IL 60603

Attention: Leticia Banuelos, (312) 353-0182

Email: [email protected]

Nominations from: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and Wisconsin

• MBDA New York National Enterprise Center

26 Federal Plaza, Room 3720, New York, NY 10278

Attention: Imani Bennett, (212) 264-0752
Email: [email protected]

Nominations from: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, DC, West Virginia, and Puerto Rico.

• MBDA Atlanta National Enterprise Center

401 W. Peachtree Street, Suite 1715,
Atlanta, GA 30308

Attention: Sandra Sanders (Primary), Katherine Roth (Alternate), (404) 730-3300

Email: [email protected]

Nominations from: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee

• Dallas National Enterprise Center

1100 Commerce Street, Room 726, Dallas, TX 75242

Attention: Rita Gonzales, (214) 767-8001

Email:[email protected]

Nominations from: Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming

• Nominations for the Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award and the Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement should be submitted directly to MBDA headquarters:

• MBDA Office of Legislative, Education and Intergovernmental Affairs, 1401 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room 5090, Washington, D.C. 20230
  Attention: Stephen Boykin, (202) 482-1712
  Email: [email protected]

NOMINEE ELIGIBILITY

MBDA serves minority business enterprises that are owned or controlled by the following persons or group of persons: African American, American Indian, Alaska Native, Asian, Hispanic, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander, Asian Indian, and Hasidic Jews. Nominees are especially sought from these groups. Eligible nominees include, but are not limited to, business owners, business executives, nonprofit organizations, for profit firms and institutions, universities and colleges, and representatives of local, state and federal governments. The Minority Construction Firm of the Year, Minority Manufacturer of the Year, Minority Retail or Service Firm of the Year, Minority Technology Firm of the Year, Minority Supplier Distributor of the Year awards are reserved for presentation to a minority business. The remaining MED Week Awards are open to qualified nominees without regard to minority status.

SELECTION PROCEDURES - NTIONAL ENTERPRISE CENTER MED WEEK AWARDS

1. Nomination packages for the Minority Construction Firm of the Year, Minority Manufacturer of the Year, Minority Retail or Service Firm of the Year, Minority Technology Firm of the Year, Minority Supplier Distributor of the Year, Advocate of the Year, Media Award, Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award, Access to Capital Award are submitted to the appropriate MBDA National Enterprise Center where they are reviewed for completeness. Partial or incomplete nomination packages will not be considered by MBDA.

2. Complete nomination packages for each award category are evaluated, rated and ranked by a review panel based on the evaluation criterion published in this brochure. The review panel shall be comprised of three persons, at least one of whom will be a full-time employee of MBDA.

3. The applicable MBDA NEC Director (or his or her designee) will serve as the Selecting Official for all National Enterprise Center MED Week Awards. In determining the award winners, the Selecting Official will consider the panel rankings and may also consider such other factors as the overall diversity of the nominee pool as it pertains to the objectives of the MED Week Awards Program and the constituency served by MBDA. However, the Selecting Official may decide not to make an award selection if MBDA does not receive any satisfactory nominations in a specific award category. In addition, the Selecting Official may select more than one award winner in a specific category depending on the quality of the nominations received. Prospective award winners will be reviewed by the Department of Commerce prior to an official selection.

SELECTION PROCEDURES – NATIONAL MED WEEK AWARDS

1. Ronald H. Brown Leadership Award and the Abe Venable Legacy Award for Lifetime Achievement:

1. Nomination packages for these awards are submitted directly to MBDA headquarters where they are reviewed for completeness. Partial or incomplete nomination packages will not be considered by MBDA.

2. Complete nomination packages for each award category are evaluated, rated and ranked by a review panel based on the evaluation criterion published in this brochure. The review panel shall be comprised of three persons, at least one of whom will be a full-time MBDA employee.

3. The MBDA National Director (or his/ her designee) will serve as the Selecting Official for these awards. In determining the award winners, the Selecting Official will consider the panel rankings and may also consider such other factors as the overall diversity of the nominee pool as it pertains to the objectives of the MED Week Awards Program and the constituency served by MBDA. However, the Selecting Official may decide not to make an award selection if MBDA does not receive any satisfactory nominations in a specific award category. In addition, the Selecting Official may select more than one award winner in a specific category depending on the quality of the nominations received. Prospective award winners will be reviewed by the Department of Commerce prior to an official selection.

2. Minority Construction Firm of the Year, Minority Manufacturer of the Year, Minority Retail or Service Firm of the Year, Minority Technology Firm of the Year, Minority Supplier Distributor of the Year, Advocate of the Year, Media Award, Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award, Access to Capital Award:

1. The nomination packages and the review panel evaluations for the National Enterprise Center MED Week award winners are submitted to MBDA headquarters for consideration for National MED Week awards in these categories. No other nominations will be considered.

2. The MBDA National Director (or his or her designee) will serve as the Selecting Official for these awards. The Selecting Official will select the award winners based on a determination as to which Regional MED Week award winner best meets the evaluation criterion and the overall spirit and objectives of the MED Week Awards Program. However, the Selecting Official may decide not to make an award selection if MBDA does not receive any satisfactory nominations in a specific award category. In addition, the Selecting Official may select more than one award winner in a specific category depending on the quality of the nominations received. Prospective award winners will be reviewed by the Department of Commerce, prior to an official selection.

MBDA reserves the right to contact the nominator and the nominee of any National Enterprise Center or National MED Week Award in order to verify information submitted or to obtain additional information necessary to evaluate the nomination. Persons contacted by MBDA are under no obligation to provide this information, but should recognize that failure to provide the information may lower the chances of the nominee being selected as the winner of a MED Week award.

AWARD CATEGORIES AND EVALUATION CRITERION

Nominations should discuss each criterion referenced in the applicable award category.

MINORITY CONSTRUCTION FIRM OF THE YEAR

Presented to a minority firm that has achieved outstanding success in private or public sector construction projects and has exhibited revenue and job growth over a sustained period of time.

• T

  40 Pts

  30 Pts

  15 Pts

  15 Pts

  otal revenue and number of employees.

• Revenue growth and number of jobs created over a sustained period.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

MINORITY MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR

P

40 Pts

30 Pts

15 Pts

15 Pts

resented to a minority firm that has achieved significant success in employing new and innovative techniques that led to a significant increase in market share, job growth and customer satisfaction.

• Total revenue and number of employees.

• Innovative techniques utilized and the results achieved.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

MINORITY RETAIL OR SERVICE FIRM OF THE YEAR

P

40 Pts

30 Pts

15 Pts

15 Pts

resented to the minority firm that has achieved notable success in expanding its product line, expanding revenues, and creating jobs.

• New product lines or services implemented.

• Total revenue and jobs created.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

MINORITY TECHNOLOGY FIRM OF THE YEAR

Presented to the minority company that has achieved notable success in bringing new technologies

to market and/or expanded technology applications to increase efficiencies and jobs.

• T

  40 Pts

  30 Pts

  15 Pts

  15 Pts

  ypes of new or innovative technologies employed.

• Revenues and jobs created over the past five years.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

MINORITY SUPPLIER DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR

P

40 Pts

30 Pts

15 Pts

15 Pts

resented to the minority company that has achieved outstanding success in penetrating domestic and global markets.

• How the nominee has penetrated global and domestic markets.

• Revenues and jobs created.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

P

40 Pts

30 Pts

15 Pts

15 Pts

resented to an individual or organization that has demonstrated significant accomplishment in advocating minority business enterprise as an economic force.

• Accomplishments related to the nominees’ advocacy efforts.

• Creativity in advocacy activities.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive, or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

MEDIA AWARD

Presented to the print, broadcast or radio media organization that has achieved notable success in elevating public awareness of the positive impact of MBEs on the U.S economy.

• H

  40 Pts

  30 Pts

  15 Pts

  15 Pts

  ow the nominee has raised awareness and the results

• Creativity and innovation in support of minority business enterprise.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive, or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

DISTINGUISHED SUPPLIER DIVERSITY AWARD

Presented to the organization or individual whose business practices have had a significant

impact on the growth and development of minority business.

• I

  40 Pts

  30 Pts

  15 Pts

  15 Pts

  ncreased dollar values of purchases from minority business enterprises
  over the past five (or more) years.

• Innovative programs. .

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive, or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL AWARD

Presented to an individual or organization who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the financial community by providing, facilitating, or promoting access to capital for minority businesses.

• H

  40 Pts

  30 Pts

  15 Pts

  15 Pts

  ow the nominee provided leadership and advocacy for access to capital.

• Dollar value of loans or other financial instruments provided to

minority businesses or individuals.

• Challenges overcome- Technical, commercial, competitive, or societal.

• Economic, environmental or societal contributions.

R

30 Pts

30 Pts

20 Pts

10 Pts

10 Pts

ONALD H. BROWN LEADERSHIP AWARD is inspired by the outstanding leadership by the late U.S. Secretary of Commerce, Ronald H. Brown. As the first African-American to serve as the Department’s Secretary, he was a staunch advocate for diversity in American business. The Award recognizes individuals who are willing to take risks to achieve change and who have demonstrated exceptional leadership by significantly enhancing the development of diversity in the domestic and worldwide economies.

• Innovations and improvements initiated by the nominee and the results.

• Exceptional and effective leadership demonstrated by the nominee.

• The extent to which nominee championed the development of diversity.

• Types of awards received.

• Community involvement and relationship with MBDA.

ABE VENABLE LEGACY AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT celebrates high standards of excellence, dedication, and accomplishment over a sustained period of time. The award is granted to an individual who has played an integral role in the creative, technical or professional progress of minority business development over the course of his/her life.

• T

  50 Pts

  30 Pts

  10 Pts

  10 Pts

  he role the nominee has played in the development of minority business
  enterprise over the past 25 (or more) years.

• The management or programmatic improvements the nominee achieved.

• Types of awards received.

• Community involvement and relationship with MBDA.

Notwithstanding any other provision of the law, no person is required to respond to, nor shall any person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the Paperwork Reduction Act, unless that collection of information displays a currently valid OMB Control Number.

OMB Control No. 0640-XXXX Expiration Date: XX-XX-2012

The information is used by the MBDA to recognize outstanding minority business development activities of national importance and to determine those applicants best meeting the preannounced criteria. No confidentiality for the information submitted is promised or provided except that which is exempt under 5 U.S.C. 522(b)(4) as confidential business information.

The public reporting burden for this collection is estimated to average 2 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Minority Business Development Agency, Office of Legislative, Education, and Intergovernmental Affairs, Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20230, and to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs of Management and Budget, Washington, D.C. 20503.

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