[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 250 (Thursday, December 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82315-82317]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33141]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Announcement of the Market Access Program for Fiscal Year 2001
AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 82316]]
SUMMARY: This notice announces the application period for the Fiscal
Year 2001 Market Access Program (MAP).
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. 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 2001 MAP. The
MAP is designed to create, expand, and maintain foreign markets for
United States agricultural commodities and products through cost-share
assistance. Financial assistance under the MAP will be made available
on a competitive basis and applications will be reviewed against the
evaluation criteria contained herein. The MAP is administered by
personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
Under the MAP, CCC enters into agreements with eligible
participants to share the costs of certain overseas marketing and
promotion activities. MAP participants may receive assistance for
either generic or brand promotion activities. The program generally
operates on a reimbursement basis.
Authority
The MAP is authorized under section 203 of the Agricultural Trade
Act of 1978, as amended, and MAP regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1485.
Eligible Applicants
To participate in the MAP, an applicant must be: A nonprofit U.S.
agricultural trade organization, a nonprofit state regional trade group
(i.e., an association of State Departments of Agriculture), a U.S.
agricultural cooperative, a State agency, or a small-sized U.S.
commercial entity (other than a cooperative or producer association).
Available Funds
$90 million of cost-share assistance may be obligated under this
announcement to eligible MAP applicants.
Application Process
To be considered for the MAP, an applicant must submit to FAS
information required by the MAP regulations set forth in 7 CFR part
1485. 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 Foreign Market Development
Cooperator (Cooperator) program, Cochran Fellowships, the Emerging
Markets Program, the Quality Samples Program, the Section 108 foreign
currency program, and several Export Credit Guarantee programs.
Organizations which are interested in applying for MAP 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 use the Internet-based system must contact
the 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 MAP 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
1485.13(a)(2)(i)(G). The UES handbook contains an acceptable
certification format.
Any organization which is not interested in applying for the MAP
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 MAP funds.
(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Committee and FAS Divisional Review
Applications 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. 1485.12 and
Sec. 1485.13 of the MAP 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. 1485.14 of the MAP
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
[[Page 82317]]
parentheses represents a percentage weight factor):
(a) Applicant's Contribution Level (40)
The applicant's 4-year average share (1998-2001) of all
contributions (cash and goods and services provided by U.S. entities in
support of overseas marketing and promotion activities) compared to
The applicant's 4-year average share (1998-2001) of the
funding level for all MAP participants.
(b) Past Performance (30)
The 3-year average share (1998-2000) of the value of
exports promoted by the applicant compared to
The applicant's 2-year average share (1999-2000) of the
funding level for all MAP applicants plus, for those groups
participating in the Cooperator program, the 2-year average share
(2000-2001) of Cooperator marketing plan budgets, and the 2-year
average share (1999-2000) of foreign overhead provided for co-location
within a U.S. agricultural office;
(c) Projected Export Goals (15)
The total dollar value of projected exports promoted by
the applicant for 2001 compared to
The applicant's requested funding level;
(d) Accuracy of Past Projections (15)
Actual exports for 1999 as reported in the 2001 MAP
application compared to
Past projections of exports for 1999 as specified in the
1999 MAP application.
The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding level for each
applicant is converted to a percentage of the total MAP funds available
and multiplied by the total weight factor as described above to
determine the amount of funds allocated to each applicant.
Closing Date for Applications
All Internet-based applications must be properly submitted by 5
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 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. 00-33141 Filed 12-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P