[Federal Register: February 1, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 20)] [Notices] [Page 4837-4839] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr01fe99-30] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Foreign Agricultural Service RIN 0551-AA26 Announcement of the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program for Fiscal Year 2000 AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds for the Fiscal Year 2000 Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program. DATES: All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, March 26, 1999. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 1042, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-1042, (202) 720-4327. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Introduction The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announces that applications are being accepted for participation in the Fiscal Year 2000 Cooperator program. The program is intended to create, expand, and maintain foreign markets for United States agricultural commodities and products. FAS administers the Cooperator program and provides cost share assistance to eligible trade organizations to implement approved market development activities. Financial assistance under this program will be made available on a competitive basis and applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria contained herein. Background Under the Cooperator program, FAS enters into Market Development Project Agreements with nonprofit U.S. trade organizations. FAS enters into these 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. Program participants may not, during [[Page 4838]] the term of their agreements with FAS, make export sales of agricultural commodities being promoted or charge fees for facilitating export sales if promotional activities designed to result in such sales are supported by Cooperator program funds. Market Development project Agreements involve the promotion of agricultural commodities on a generic basis and, therefore, do not involve activities targeted directly toward individual consumers. Approved activities contribute to the maintenance or growth of demand for the agricultural commodities and generally address long-term foreign import constraints by focusing on matters such as: Reducing infra-structural or historical market impediments; Improving processing capabilities; Modifying codes and standards; and Identifying new markets or new applications or uses for agricultural commodities or products in foreign markets. Authority The Cooperator program is authorized by Title VII of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, 7 U.S.C. 5721, et seq. Program regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1550. Application Process To be considered, an applicant must submit to FAS information related to the allocation criteria considered by FAS as described in this notice. The FAS administers various agricultural export assistance programs, including the Cooperator Program, the Market Access Program (MAP), Cochran Fellowships, the Emerging Markets Program, section 108, Pub. L. 480 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. This 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 data entry screens at a specially designed 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. Also, by using the Internet, applicants currently participating in the 1999 Cooperator program will not need to enter certain historical information as it will appear automatically in the data entry screens. Applicants also have the option of submitting electronic versions (along with two paper copies) of their applications to FAS on diskette. The Internet-based application, including the step-by-step instructions for its use, is located at the following URL address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/cooperators.html. 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. 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. Incomplete applications and applications that do not otherwise conform to this announcement will not be accepted for review. 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 by market or product 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, consistent with the strategic objectives of the United States Department of Agriculture, and address the performance measurement objectives of the GPRA. FAS considers a number of factors when reviewing proposed projects. These factors include: The ability of the organization to provide an experienced U.S.-based staff with technical and international trade expertise to ensure adequate development, supervision, and execution of the proposed project; The organization's willingness to contribute resources, including cash and goods and services of the U.S. industry and foreign third parties; The conditions or constraints affecting the level of U.S. exports and market share for the agricultural commodities and products; The degree to which the proposed project is likely to contribute to the creation, expansion, or maintenance of foreign markets; and The degree to which the strategic plan is coordinated with other private or U.S. government-funded market development projects. 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 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. (2) Phase 2--FAS Divisional Review Applications which meet the application procedures will then be further evaluated by the applicable FAS Commodity Division. The Divisions will review each application against the factors described above. The purpose of this review is to identify meritorious proposals and to recommend an appropriate funding level for each application based upon these factors. (3) Phase 3--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). Data used in the calculations for contribution levels, past export performance and past demand expansion performance will cover not [[Page 4839]] more than a 6-year period, to the extent such data is available. (a) Contribution Level (40) The applicant's 6-year average share (1995-2000) 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 (1995-2000) of all Cooperator marketing plan budgets. (b) Past Export Performance (20) The 6-year average share (1994-99) of the value of exports promoted by the applicant compared to The applicant's 6-year average share (1994-99) of all Cooperator marketing plan budgets plus a 6-year average share (1993-98) of MAP program ceiling levels and a 6-year average share (1993-98) 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 (1994-99) of the total value of world trade of the commodities promoted by the applicant compared to The applicant's 6-year average share (1994-99) of all Cooperator marketing plan budgets plus a 6-year average share (1993-98) of MAP program ceiling levels and a 6-year average share (1993-98) of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S. agricultural trade office. (d) Future Demand Expansion Goals (10) The total dollar value of the applicant's projected increase in world trade of the commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2005 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 1998 compared to The applicant's past projected share of world trade of the commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 1998, as specified in the 1998 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 26, 1999. 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 26, 1999, at one of the following addresses: Hand Delivery (including FedEx, DHL, 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: Marketing Operations Staff, STOP 1042, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-1042. Mary T. Chambliss, Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service. [FR Doc. 99-2254 Filed 1-29-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3410-10-M