SBA to sign pact on SBDC transfer to CDA next month

An agreement which will clear the road for the final transfer of the federally-funded Small Business Development Center from the Northern Marianas College to the Commonwealth Development Authority is expected to be signed next month.

Board Chair John S. Tenorio said the Small Business Administration and CDA are already finalizing discussions on some provisions contained in the transfer agreement which will be signed by middle of March.

Mr. Tenorio said SBDC equipment, which are currently housed inside the facility within the NMC campus ,will be transported to the CDA office in Gualo Rai by end of this month.

He said the College has asked for additional time before the equipment are transferred pending completion of some SBDC programs facilitated by the NMC.

“We are expecting to finalize the transfer of the equipment from NMC by end of this month. NMC has asked for more time in terms of using the facility,” he said.

“We are not rushing the College to transfer the equipment. We want them to go ahead and complete whatever program they have started. We don’t want to jeopardize the program,” the CDA chief added.

Mr. Tenorio said CDA will publicly announce the vacancy for program director and coordinators once the agreement has been sealed between the Development Authority and SBA.

The CDA-administered SBDC will be run by a maximum of three staff, including the program director. The program is also expected to have more business counselors who will provide professional expertise to CNMI entrepreneurs.

The Development Authority is planning to coordinate its efforts with NMC’s own small business center in order to avoid duplication of programs like workshop and seminar themes.

“I hope we won’t be competing with each other. I want to see the two centers work together, just in case the Legislature would allocate local funding for another SBDC at the College,” Mr. Tenorio said.

The Senate is firm on its plan to appropriate funds to a Small Business Development Center under the Northern Marianas College if the federally- financed program is transferred to the Commonwealth Development Authority.

The Senate wants to retain SBDC under the administration of NMC where it has been since the federally funded program was introduced in the Northern Marianas.

However, the U.S. Small Business Development Administration based in Guam has decided to uproot the center from the college to CDA citing inefficient management.

NMC remains unfazed by the transfer and is likely to come up with its own small business development center, which received strong support from legislators who vowed to find ways to fund the program.

The Development Authority intends to hold business workshops and seminars in partnership with the Hotel Association, the Saipan Chamber of Commerce, the Saipan Garment Manufacturers Association and the Northern Marianas College.