[Federal Register: January 23, 2004 (Volume 69, Number 15)]
[Notices]
[Page 3307-3309]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr23ja04-19]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Notice of Funds Availability; Inviting Applications for the
Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program
Announcement Type: New.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.600.
SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is
inviting proposals for the 2005 Foreign Market Development Cooperator
(Cooperator) Program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit
application from eligible applicants and award funds in June 2004. The
Cooperator Program is administered by personnel of the Foreign
Agricultural Service (FAS).
DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. eastern standard
time, March 15, 2004. Applications received after this date will not be
considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Entities wishing to apply for funding
assistance should contact the Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 4932-South,
STOP 1042, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042,
phone: (202) 720-4327, fax: (202) 720-9361, e-mail:
mosadmin@fas.usda.gov. Information is also available on the Foreign
Agricultural Service Web site at http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs/fmd.html
.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: The Cooperator Program is authorized by title VII of the
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as amended. Cooperator Program
regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484.
Purpose: The Cooperator Program is designed to create, expand, and
maintain foreign market for U.S. agricultural commodities and products
through cost-share assistance. Financial assistance under the
Cooperator Program will be made available on a competitive basis and
applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria contained
herein. All agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for
consideration.
The FAS allocates funds in a manner that effectively supports the
strategic decision-making initiatives of the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 and the USDA's Food and Agricultural Policy
(FAP). In deciding whether a proposed project will contribute to the
effective creation, expansion, or maintenance of foreign market, the
FAS seeks to identify a clear, long-term agricultural trade strategy
and a program effectiveness time line against which results can be
measured at specific intervals using quantifiable product or country
goals. The FAS also considers the extent to which a proposed project
targets markets with the greatest growth potential. These factors are
part of the FAS resource allocation strategy to fund applicants who can
demonstrate performance and address the objectives of the GPRA and FAP.
II. Award Information
Under the Cooperator Program, the FAS enters into agreements with
nonprofit U.S. trade organizations which have the broadest possible
producer representation of the commodity being promoted and gives
priority to those organizations which are nationwide in membership and
scope. Cooperators may receive assistance only for the promotion of
generic activities that do not involve promotions targeted directly to
consumers. The program generally operates on a reimbursement basis.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants. To participate in the Cooperator Program an
applicant must be a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization.
2. Cost Sharing. To participate in the Cooperator Program, an
applicant must agree to contribute resources to its proposed
promotional activities. The Cooperator Program is intended to
supplement, not supplant, the efforts of the U.S. private sector. The
contribution must be stated in dollars and be at least 50 percent of
the value of resources provided by CCC for activities conducted under
the project agreement.
The degree of commitment of an applicant to the promotional
strategies contained in its application, as represented by the agreed
cost share contributions specified therein, is considered by the FAS
when determining which applications will be approved for funding. Cost-
share may be actual cash invested or in-kind contributions, such as
professional staff time spent on design and execution of activities.
The Cooperator Program regulations, in sections 1484.50 and 1484.41,
provide detailed discussion of eligible and ineligible cost-share
contributions.
3. Other. Applications should include a justification for funding
assistance from the program--an explanation as to what specifically
could not be accomplished without federal funding assistance and why
participating organization(s) are unlikely to carry out the project
without such assistance.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package. Organizations that are
interested in applying for Cooperator Program funds are encouraged to
submit their requests using the Unified Export Strategy (UES) format.
The UES allows interested entities to submit a consolidated and
strategically coordinated single proposal that incorporates requests
for funding and recommendations for virtually all the FAS marketing
programs, financial assistance programs, and market access programs.
The suggested UES format encourages applicants to examine the
constraints or barriers to trade that they face, identify activities,
which would help overcome such impediments, consider the entire pool of
complementary marketing tools and program resources, and establish
realistic export goals. Applicants are not required, however, to use
the UES format. Organizations can submit applications in the UES format
by two methods. The first allows an applicant to submit information
directly to the FAS through the Unified Export Strategy (UES)
application Internet Web site. The FAS highly recommends applying via
the Internet, as this format virtually eliminates paperwork and
expedites the FAS processing and review cycle. Applicants also have the
option of submitting electronic versions (along with tow paper copies)
of their applications to the FAS on diskette.
Applicants planning to use the Internet-based system must contact
the FAS Marketing Operations Staff on (202) 720-4327 to obtain site
access information. The Internet-based application, including a Help
file containing step-by-step instructions for its use, may be found at
the following URL address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/cooperators.html.
[[Page 3308]]
Applicants who choose to submit applications on diskette can obtain
an application format by contacting the Marketing Operations Staff on
(202) 720-4327.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission. To be considered for
the Cooperator Program, an applicant must submit to the FAS information
required by the Cooperator Program regulations in section 1484.20. In
addition, in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget's
issuance of a final policy (68 FR 38402) regarding the need to identify
entities that are receiving government awards, all applicants must
submit a Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS)
number. An applicant may request a DUNS number at no cost by calling
the dedicated toll-free DUNS number request line at 1-866-705-5711.
Incomplete applications and applications which do not otherwise conform
to this announcement will not be accepted for review.
The FAS administers various other agricultural export assistance
programs, including the Market Access Program (MAP), Cochran
Fellowships, the Emerging Markets Program, the Quality Samples Program,
Section 108 Foreign Currency Program, Technical Assistance for
Specialty Crops Program, and several Export Credit Guarantee programs.
Any organization that is not interested in applying for the Cooperator
Program but would like to request assistance through one of the other
programs mentioned should contact the Marketing Operations Staff on
(202) 720-4327.
3. Submission Dates and Times. All applications must be received by
5 p.m. eastern standard time, March 15, 2004. All Cooperator Program
applicants, regardless of the method of submitting an application, also
must submit by the application deadline, via hand delivery or U.S.
mail, an original signed certification statement as specified in 7 CFR
1484.20(a)(14). Applications or certifications received after this date
will not be considered.
4. Funding Restrictions. Certain types of expenses are not eligible
for reimbursement by the program, and there are limits on other
categories of expenses. CCC will not reimburse unreasonable
expenditures or expenditures made prior to approval. Full details are
available in the Cooperator Program regulations in sections 1484.54 and
1484.55.
5. Other Submission Requirements and Considerations. All Internet-
based applications must be properly submitted by 5 p.m. eastern
standard time, March 15, 2004. Signed certification statements also
must be received by that time at one of the addresses listed below.
All applications on diskette (with two accompanying paper copies
and a signed certification statement) and any other form of application
must be received by 5 p.m. eastern standard time, March 15, 2004, at
one of the following addresses:
Hand Delivery (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.): U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Marketing Operations Staff,
Room 4932-S, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-
1042.
U.S. Postal Delivery: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign
Agricultural Service, Marketing Operations Staff, STOP 1042, 1400
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria and Review Process. Following is a description of the
FAS process for reviewing applications and the criteria for allocating
available Cooperator Program funds.
(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Review and FAS Divisional Review
Applications received by the closing date will be reviewed by the
FAS to determine the eligibility of the applicants and the completeness
of the applications. These requirements appear at sections 1484.14 and
1484.20 of the Cooperator Program regulations. Applications that meet
the requirements then will be further evaluated by the proper FAS
Commodity Division. The Divisions will review each application against
the criteria listed in sections 1484.21 and 1484.22 of the Cooperator
Program regulations. The purpose of this review is to identify
meritorious proposals and to recommend an appropriate funding level for
each application based upon these criteria.
(2) Phase 2--Competitive Review
Meritorious applications then will be passed on to the Office of
the Deputy Administrator, Commodity and Marketing Programs, for the
purpose of allocating available funds among the applicants.
Applications will compete for funds on the basis of the following
allocation criteria (the number in parentheses represents a percentage
weight factor):
(a) Contribution Level (40)
[sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (2000-2005) of all
contributions (contributions may include cash and goods and services
provided by U.S. entities in support of foreign market development
activities) compared to:
[sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (2000-2005) of all
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures.
(b) Past Export Performance (20)
[sbull] The 6-year average share (1999-2004) of the value of
exports promoted by the applicant compared to:
[sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (1999-2004) of all
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures plus a 6-year average share
(1998-2003) of MAP expenditures and a 6-year average share (1998-2003)
of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S. agricultural
trade office.
(c) Past Demand Expansion Performance (20)
[sbull] The 6-year average share (1999-2004) of the total value of
world trade of the commodities promoted by the applicant compared to:
[sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (1999-2004) of all
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures plus a 6-year average share
(1998-2003) of MAP expenditures and a 6-year average share (1998-2003)
of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S. agricultural
trade office.
(d) Future Demand Expansion Goals (10)
[sbull] The projected total dollar value of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2010 compared
to:
[sbull] The applicant's requested funding level.
(e) Accuracy of Past Demand Expansion Projections (10)
[sbull] The actual dollar value share of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2003 compared
to:
[sbull] The applicant's past projected share of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2003, as
specified in the 2000 Cooperator Program application.
The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding levels for each
applicant are converted to percentages of the total Cooperator Program
funds available then multiplied by the total weight factor to determine
the amount of funds allocated to each applicant.
2. Anticipated Announcement Date. Announcements of funding
decisions for the Cooperator Program are anticipated during June 2004.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices. The FAS will notify all applicants in writing of
the final disposition of its application. The FAS will send an approval
letter and project
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agreement to each approved applicant. The approval letter and agreement
will specify the terms and conditions applicable to the project,
including the levels of Cooperator Program funding and cost-share
contribution requirements.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements. Interested
parties should review the Cooperator Program regulations which are
available at the following URL address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs.fmd.html.
Hard copies may be obtained by contacting MOS at
(202) 720-4327.
3. Reporting. The FAS requires various reports and evaluations from
Cooperators. Reporting requirements are detailed in the Cooperator
Program regulations in sections 1484.53, 1484.70, and 1484.72.
VII. Agency Contact(s)
For additional information and assistance, contact the Marketing
Operations Staff, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, Room 4932 South, STOP 1042, 1400 Independence Ave., SW.,
Washington, DC 20250-1042, phone: (202) 720-4327, fax: (202) 720-9361,
e-mail: mosadmin@fas.usda.gov.
Signed in Washington, DC on January 19, 2004.
A. Ellen Terpstra,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service and Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 04-1455 Filed 1-22-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M