Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2011 / Notices 21323 

(2) Which by the participating U.S. 

organization(s); and 

(3) Which by foreign third parties (if 

applicable). 

Cost items for individual consultant 

fees should show calculation of daily 

rate and number of days. Cost items for 

travel expenses should show number of 

trips, destinations, cost, and objective 

for each trip. 

Qualifications of applicant(s) should 

be included as an attachment. 

3. Funding Restrictions: Certain types 

of expenses are not eligible for 

reimbursement by the program, and 

there are limits on other categories of 

expenses, such as indirect overhead 

charges, travel expenses, and consulting 

fees. CCC will also not reimburse 

unreasonable expenditures or 

expenditures made prior to approval of 

a proposal. Full details of the funding 

restrictions are available in the EMP 

regulations. 

4. Submission Dates and Times: EMP 

funding is reviewed on a rolling basis 

during the fiscal year as long as 

remaining EMP funding is available. 

That is: 

• Proposals received by, but not later 

than, 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 

16, 2011, will be considered for funding 

with other proposals received by that 

date; 

• Proposals not approved for funding 

during the review period will be 

reconsidered for funding after the 

review period only if the applicant 

specifically requests such 

reconsideration in writing, and only if 

funding remains available; 

• Proposals received after 5 p.m. 

Eastern Daylight Time, May 16, 2011, 

will be considered for funding only if 

funding remains available. 

5. Other Submission Requirements: 

All Internet-based applications must be 

properly submitted by 5 p.m., Eastern 

Daylight Time, May 16, 2011, in order 

to be considered for funding; late 

submissions received after the deadline 

will be considered only if funding 

remains available. All applications 

submitted by e-mail must be received by 

5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 16, 

2011, at podadmin@fas.usda.gov in 

order to receive the same consideration. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Criteria: Key criteria used in 

judging proposals include: 

• The objective of the activities is to 

develop, maintain, or expand markets 

for U.S. agricultural exports by 

improving the effectiveness of the food 

and rural business systems in emerging 

markets; 

• Appropriateness of the activities for 

the targeted market(s) and the extent to 

which the project identifies market 

barriers (e.g., a fundamental deficiency 

in the emerging market’s food and rural 

business systems, and/or a recent 

change in those systems); 

• Potential of the project to expand 

U.S. market share, increase U.S. exports 

or sales; 

• Quality of the project’s performance 

measures, and the degree to which they 

relate to the objectives, deliverables, and 

proposed approach and activities; 

• Justification for Federal funding; 

• Overall cost of the project and the 

amount of funding provided by the 

applicant and any partners; and 

• Evidence that the organization has 

the knowledge, expertise, ability, and 

resources to successfully implement the 

project, including timeliness and quality 

of reporting on past EMP activities. 

Please see 7 CFR part 1486 for 

additional evaluation criteria. 

2. Review and Selection Process: All 

applications undergo a multi-phase 

review within FAS, by appropriate FAS 

field offices, and, as needed, by the 

private sector Advisory Committee on 

Emerging Markets to determine the 

qualifications, quality, appropriateness 

of projects, and reasonableness of 

project budgets. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: FAS will notify 

each applicant in writing of the final 

disposition of the submitted 

application. FAS will send an approval 

letter and project agreement to each 

approved applicant. The approval letter 

and agreement will specify the terms 

and conditions applicable to the project, 

including the levels of EMP funding and 

cost-share contribution requirements. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: Interested parties should 

review the EMP regulations, which are 

available at the following URL address: 

http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/emmarkets/em-markets.asp. 

3. Reporting. Quarterly progress 

reports for all programs 1 year or longer 

in duration are required. Projects of less 

than 1 year generally require a mid-term 

progress report. Final performance 

reports are due 90 days after completion 

of each project. Content requirements 

for both types of reports are contained 

in the Project Agreement. Final financial 

reports are also due 90 days after 

completion of each project as 

attachments to the final reports. Please 

see 7 CFR part 1486 for additional 

reporting requirements. 

VII. Agency Contact(s) 

For additional information and 

assistance, contact the Program 

Operations Division, Office of Trade 

Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Portals 

Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 

Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, 

DC 20024, or by phone: (202) 720–4327, 

or by fax: (202) 720–9361, or by e-mail: 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. 

Signed at Washington, DC, on the 25th day 

of March, 2011. 

John D. Brewer, 

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service 

and Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation. 

[FR Doc. 2011–9216 Filed 4–14–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Commodity Credit Corporation 

Notice of Funds Availability: Inviting 

Applications for the Technical 

Assistance for Specialty Crops 

Program 

Announcement Type: New. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.604. 

SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit 

Corporation (CCC) announces that it is 

inviting proposals for the 2012 

Technical Assistance for Specialty 

Crops (TASC) program. The intended 

effect of this notice is to solicit 

applications from the private sector and 

from government agencies for FY 2012 

and to award funds in October 2011. 

The TASC program is administered by 

personnel of the Foreign Agricultural 

Service (FAS). 

DATES: To be considered for funding, 

applications must be received by 5 p.m. 

Eastern Daylight Time, May 16, 2011. 

Any applications received after this 

time will be considered only if funds are 

still available. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Entities wishing to apply for funding 

assistance should contact the Program 

Operations Division, Office of Trade 

Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, 

Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 

Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, 

DC 20024, or by phone: (202) 720–4327, 

or by fax: (202) 720–9361, or by e-mail: 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. Information is 

also available on the FAS Web site at 

http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/tasc/ 

tasc.asp. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: The TASC program is 

authorized by section 3205 of Public 

Law 107–171. TASC regulations appear 

at 7 CFR part 1487. 

Purpose: The TASC program is 

designed to assist U.S. organizations by 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
21324 Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2011 / Notices 

providing funding for projects that 

address sanitary, phytosanitary, or 

related technical barriers that prohibit 

or threaten the export of U.S. specialty 

crops. U.S. specialty crops, for the 

purpose of the TASC program, are 

defined to include all cultivated plants, 

or the products thereof, produced in the 

United States, except wheat, feed grains, 

oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, 

and tobacco. 

As a general matter, TASC program 

projects should be designed to address 

the following criteria: 

• Projects should identify and 

address a sanitary, phytosanitary, or 

related technical barrier that prohibits 

or threatens the export of U.S. specialty 

crops; 

• Projects should demonstrably 

benefit the represented industry rather 

than a specific company or brand; 

• Projects must address barriers to 

exports of commercially-available U.S. 

specialty crops for which barrier 

removal would predominantly benefit 

U.S. exports; and 

• Projects should include an 

explanation as to what specifically 

could not be accomplished without 

Federal funding assistance and why the 

participating organization(s) would be 

unlikely to carry out the project without 

such assistance. 

Examples of expenses that CCC may 

agree to reimburse under the TASC 

program include, but are not limited to: 

initial pre-clearance programs, export 

protocol and work plan support, 

seminars and workshops, study tours, 

field surveys, development of pest lists, 

pest and disease research, database 

development, reasonable logistical and 

administrative support, and travel and 

per diem expenses. 

II. Award Information 

In general, all qualified proposals 

received before the specified application 

deadline will compete for funding. The 

limited funds and the range of barriers 

affecting the exports of U.S. specialty 

crops worldwide preclude CCC from 

approving large budgets for individual 

projects. Proposals requesting more than 

$500,000 in any given year will not be 

considered. Additionally, the maximum 

duration of an activity is 5 years. In 

order to validate funding eligibility, 

proposals must specify previous years of 

TASC funding for each proposed 

activity/title/market/constraint 

combination. 

Applicants may submit multiple 

proposals, and applicants with 

previously approved TASC proposals 

may apply for additional funding. The 

number of approved projects that a 

TASC participant can have underway at 

any given time is five. Please see 7 CFR 

part 1487 for additional restrictions. 

FAS will consider providing either 

grant funds as direct assistance to U.S. 

organizations or technical assistance on 

behalf of U.S. organizations, provided 

that the organization submits timely and 

qualified proposals. FAS will review all 

proposals against the evaluation criteria 

contained in the program regulations. 

Funding for successful proposals will 

be provided through specific 

agreements. These agreements will 

incorporate the proposal as approved by 

FAS. FAS must approve in advance any 

subsequent changes to the project. FAS 

or another Federal agency may be 

involved in the implementation of 

approved projects. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: Any U.S. 

organization, private or government, 

with a demonstrated role or interest in 

exporting U.S. agricultural commodities 

may apply to the program. Government 

organizations consist of Federal, State, 

and local agencies. Private organizations 

include non-profit trade associations, 

universities, agricultural cooperatives, 

state regional trade groups, and private 

companies. 

Foreign organizations, whether 

government or private, may participate 

as third parties in activities carried out 

by U.S. organizations, but are not 

eligible for funding assistance from the 

program. 

2. Cost Sharing or Matching: FAS 

considers the applicant’s willingness to 

contribute resources, including cash, 

goods, and services of the U.S. industry 

and foreign third parties, when 

determining which proposals are 

approved for funding. 

3. Proposals 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 the participating organization(s) 

would be unlikely to carry out the 

project without such assistance. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Application through the Unified 

Export Strategy (UES): Organizations are 

strongly encouraged to submit their 

applications to FAS through the UES 

application Internet Web site. Using the 

UES application process reduces 

paperwork and expedites FAS’s 

processing and review cycle. Applicants 

planning to use the UES Internet-based 

system must contact FAS/Program 

Operations Division to obtain site access 

information, including a user ID and 

password. The UES Internet-based 

application may be found at the 

following URL address: https:// 

www.fas.usda.gov/ues/webapp/. 

Although FAS highly recommends 

applying via the Internet-based UES 

application, as this format virtually 

eliminates paperwork and expedites the 

FAS processing and review cycle, 

applicants also have the option of 

submitting an electronic version to FAS 

at podadmin@fas.usda.gov. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission: All TASC proposals must 

contain complete information about the 

proposed projects as described in 

§ 1487.5(b) of the TASC program 

regulations. In addition, in accordance 

with the Office of Management and 

Budget’s policy directive (68 FR 38402 

(June 27, 2003)) 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 that do not otherwise 

conform to this announcement will not 

be accepted for review. 

3. Submission Dates and Times: 

TASC funding is reviewed on a rolling 

basis during the fiscal year as long as 

remaining TASC funding is available. 

That is: 

• Proposals received by, but not later 

than, 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 

16, 2011, will be considered for funding 

with other proposals received by that 

date; 

• Proposals not approved for funding 

during the review period will be 

reconsidered for funding after the 

review period only if the applicant 

specifically requests such 

reconsideration in writing, and only if 

funding remains available; 

• Proposals received after 5 p.m. 

Eastern Daylight Time, May 16, 2011, 

will be considered for funding only if 

funding remains available. 

Notwithstanding the foregoing, a 

proposal may be submitted for 

expedited consideration under the 

TASC Quick Response process if, in 

addition to meeting all requirements of 

the TASC program, a proposal clearly 

identifies a time-sensitive activity. In 

these cases, a proposal may be 

submitted at any time for an expedited 

evaluation. Such a proposal must 

include a specific request for expedited 

evaluation. 

FAS will track the time and date of 

receipt of all proposals. 

4. Funding Restrictions: Although 

funded projects may take place in the 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES
Federal Register / Vol. 76, No. 73 / Friday, April 15, 2011 / Notices 21325 

United States or abroad, all eligible 

projects must specifically address 

sanitary, phytosanitary, or related 

technical barriers to the export of U.S. 

specialty crops. 

Certain types of expenses are not 

eligible for reimbursement by the 

program, such as the costs of market 

research, advertising, or other 

promotional expenses, as set forth in the 

written program agreement between 

CCC and the participant. CCC will also 

not reimburse unreasonable 

expenditures or any expenditure made 

prior to approval of a proposal. 

5. Other Submission Requirements: 

All Internet-based applications must be 

properly submitted by 5 p.m., Eastern 

Daylight Time, May 16, 2011, in order 

to be considered for funding; late 

submissions received after the deadline 

will be considered only if funding 

remains available. All applications 

submitted by email must be received by 

5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 16, 

2011, at podadmin@fas.usda.gov in 

order to receive the same consideration. 

V. Application Review Information 

1. Criteria: FAS follows the evaluation 

criteria set forth in § 1487.6 of the TASC 

regulations. 

2. Review and Selection Process: FAS 

will review proposals for eligibility and 

will evaluate each proposal against the 

criteria referred to above. The purpose 

of this review is to identify meritorious 

proposals, recommend an appropriate 

funding level for each proposal based 

upon these factors, and submit the 

proposals and funding 

recommendations to the Deputy 

Administrator, Office of Trade 

Programs. FAS may, when appropriate, 

request the assistance of other U.S. 

government subject area experts in 

evaluating the merits of a proposal. 

VI. Award Administration Information 

1. Award Notices: FAS will notify 

each applicant in writing of the final 

disposition of the submitted 

application. FAS will send an approval 

letter and agreement to each approved 

applicant. The approval letter and 

agreement will specify the terms and 

conditions applicable to the project, 

including levels of funding, timelines 

for implementation, and written 

evaluation requirements. 

2. Administrative and National Policy 

Requirements: The agreements will 

incorporate the details of each project as 

approved by FAS. Each agreement will 

identify terms and conditions pursuant 

to which CCC will reimburse certain 

costs of each project. Agreements will 

also outline the responsibilities of the 

participant. Interested parties should 

review the TASC program regulations 

found at 7 CFR part 1487 in addition to 

this announcement. TASC program 

regulations are available at the following 

URL address: http:www.fas.usa.gov/ 

mos/programs/ 

TASC_1487_regulations_1-1-06.pdf. 

Hard copies may be obtained by 

contacting the Program Operations 

Division at (202) 720–4327. 

3. Reporting: TASC participants will 

be required to submit separate interim 

reports at 3, 6, and 9 months for each 

program year, and a final report, each of 

which evaluates their TASC project 

using the performance measures 

presented in the approved proposal, as 

set forth in the written program 

agreement. 

VII. Agency Contact 

For additional information and 

assistance, contact the Program 

Operations Division, Office of Trade 

Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Portals 

Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 

Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, 

DC 20024, or by phone: (202) 720–4327, 

or by fax: (202) 720–9361, or by e-mail: 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. 

Signed at Washington, DC, on the 25th of 

March, 2011. 

John D. Brewer, 

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, 

and Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation. 

[FR Doc. 2011–9219 Filed 4–14–11; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Commodity Credit Corporation 

Notice of Funds Availability: Inviting 

Applications for the Market Access 

Program 

Announcement Type: New. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic 

Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.601. 

SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit 

Corporation (CCC) announces that it is 

inviting proposals for the 2012 Market 

Access Program (MAP). The intended 

effect of this notice is to solicit 

applications from eligible applicants 

and to award funds in October 2011. 

The MAP is administered by personnel 

of the Foreign Agricultural Service 

(FAS). 

DATES: All applications must be 

received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight 

Time, May 16, 2011. Applications 

received after this date will not be 

considered. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Entities wishing to apply for funding 

assistance should contact the Program 

Operations Division, Office of Trade 

Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, 

Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 

Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, 

DC 20024, or by phone: (202) 720–4327, 

or by fax: (202) 720–9361, or by e-mail: 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. Information is 

also available on the FAS Web site at 

http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs/ 

map.asp. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: The MAP is authorized under 

Section 203 of the Agricultural Trade Act of 

1978, as amended. MAP regulations appear at 

7 CFR part 1485. 

Purpose: The MAP is designed to 

create, expand, and maintain foreign 

markets for U. S. agricultural 

commodities and products through costshare 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 and in the 

MAP regulations. All U.S. 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. In deciding 

whether a proposed project will 

contribute to the effective creation, 

expansion, or maintenance of foreign 

markets, the FAS considers whether the 

applicant provides 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. 

II. Award Information 

Under the MAP, the CCC enters into 

agreements with eligible participants to 

share the cost of certain overseas 

marketing and promotion activities. 

MAP participants may receive 

assistance for generic or brand 

promotion activities. For generic 

activities, funding priority is given to 

organizations that have the broadest 

possible producer representation of the 

commodity being promoted and that are 

nationwide in membership and scope. 

Only non-profit U.S. agricultural trade 

organizations, nonprofit State regional 


srobinson on DSKHWCL6B1PROD with NOTICES