[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 250 (Thursday, December 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82314-82315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33138]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Announcement of the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program
for Fiscal Year 2002
AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: This notice announces the application period for the Fiscal
Year 2002 Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program.
DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard
Time, March 12, 2001.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, STOP 1042, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC
20250, (202) 720-4327.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that applications
are being accepted for participation in the Fiscal Year 2002 Cooperator
program. The program is designed to create, expand, and maintain
foreign markets for United States 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. The Cooperator program is administered by personnel of the
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
Under the Cooperator program, CCC enters into agreements with
nonprofit U.S. trade organizations that have the broadest possible
producer representation of the commodity being promoted and gives
priority to those organizations that are nationwide in membership and
scope. Cooperators may only receive assistance for the promotion of
generic activities that do not involve promotions targeted directly at
consumers. The program generally operates on a reimbursement basis.
Authority
The Cooperator program is authorized by Section 5(f) of the
Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, 15 U.S.C. 714c(f). Cooperator
program regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484.
Eligible Applicants
To participate in the Cooperator program, an applicant must be a
nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization.
Application Process
To be considered for the Cooperator program, an applicant must
submit to FAS information required by the Cooperator program
regulations set forth in 7 CFR part 1484. Incomplete applications and
applications that do not otherwise conform to this announcement will
not be accepted for review.
We also point out that 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, and several Export
Credit Guarantee programs. Organizations which 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 FAS marketing programs, financial
assistance programs, and market access programs. The suggested UES
format encourages applicants to examine the constraints or barriers to
trade 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 FAS through the UES application Internet site. 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 two
paper copies) of their applications to FAS on diskette.
Applicants planning to sue the Internet-based system must contact
the
[[Page 82315]]
Marketing Operations Staff of FAS at (202) 720-4327 to obtain site
access information. The Internet-based application, including step-by-
step instructions for its use, is located at the following URL address:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/cooperators.html.
Applicants who choose to submit applications on diskette can
download the UES handbook, including the suggested application format
and instructions, from the following URL address: http://www.fas.usda/gov/mos/ues/unified.html. A UES handbook may also be obtained by
contacting the Marketing Operations Staff at (202) 720-4327.
All Cooperator program applicants, whether applying via the
Internet or diskette, must also submit by March 12, 2001, via hand
delivery or U.S. mail, an original signed certification statement as
specified in 7 CFR section 1484.20(a)(14). The UES handbook contains an
acceptable certification format.
Any organization which 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 at (202) 720-4327.
Review Process and Allocation Criteria
FAS allocates funds in a manner that effectively supports the
strategic decision-making initiatives of the Government Performance and
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993. In deciding whether a proposed project will
contribute to the effective creation, expansion, or maintenance of
foreign markets, 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. These performance indicators are part of FAS'
resource allocation strategy to fund applicants which can demonstrate
performance based on a long-term strategic plan and address the
performance measurement objectives of the GPRA.
Following is a description of the FAS process for reviewing
applications and the criteria for allocating available Cooperator
program funds.
(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Committee and FAS Divisional Review
Application received by the closing date will be reviewed by FAS to
determine the eligibility of the applicants and the completeness of the
applications. These requirements appear at Sec. 1484.14 and
Sec. 1484.20 of the Cooperator program regulations. Applications which
meet the application requirements will then be further evaluated by the
applicable FAS Commodity Division. The Divisions will review each
application against the criteria listed in Sec. 1484.21 and
Sec. 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 will then 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 which pass the Divisional Review 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)
The applicant's 6-year average share (1997-2002 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
The applicant's 6-year average share (1997-2002 of all
Cooperator marketing plan budgets.
(b) Past Export Performance (20)
The 6-year average share (1996-2001 of the value of
exports promoted by the applicant compared to
The applicant's 6-year average share (1996-2001 of all
Cooperator marketing plan budgets plus a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of MAP program ceiling levels and a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S.
agricultural trade office.
(c) Past Demand Expansion Performance (20)
The 6-year average share (1996-2001) of the total value of
world trade of the commodities promoted by the applicant compared to
The applicant's 6-year average share (1996-2001) of all
Cooperator marketing plan budgets plus a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of MAP program ceiling levels and a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S.
agricultural trade office.
(d) Future Demand expansion Goals (10)
The projected total dollar value of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2007 compared
to
The applicant's requested funding level.
(e) Accuracy of Past Demand expansion Projections (10)
The actual dollar value share of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2000 compared
to
The applicant's past projected share of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2000, as
specified in the 2000 Cooperator program application.
The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding level for each
applicant is converted to a percentage of the total Cooperator program
funds available and multiplied by the total weight factor to determine
the amount of funds allocated to each applicant.
Closing Date for Applications
All Internet-based applications must be properly submitted by 5:00
p.m. Eastern Standard Time, March 12, 2001. 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 applications must
be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, March 12, 2001, 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, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.
U.S. Postal Delivery: Marketing Operations Staff, STOP 1042, 1400
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.
Timothy J. Galvin,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 00-33138 Filed 12-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M