23896 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 78 / Tuesday, April 23, 2013 / Notices 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Commodity Credit Corporation 

Notice of Funds Availability: Inviting 

Applications for the Quality Samples 

Program 

Announcement Type: New. 

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance 

(CFDA) Number: 10.605. 

SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit 

Corporation (CCC) announces it is 

inviting proposals for the 2014 Quality 

Samples Program (QSP). The intended 

effect of this notice is to solicit 

applications from eligible applicants for 

fiscal year 2014 and to set out the 

criteria for the award of funds under the 

program in October 2013. QSP 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 28, 2013. 

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 

by courier address: Room 6512, 1400 

Independence Ave. SW., Washington, 

DC 20250, or by phone: (202) 720–4327, 

or by fax: (202) 720–9361, or by email: 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. Information is 

also available on the FAS Web site at 

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

QSP.asp. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Funding Opportunity Description 

Authority: QSP is authorized under 

Section 5(f) of the CCC Charter Act, 15 U.S.C. 

714c(f). 

Purpose: QSP is designed to 

encourage the development and 

expansion of export markets for U.S. 

agricultural commodities by assisting 

U.S. entities in providing commodity 

samples to potential foreign importers to 

promote a better understanding and 

appreciation for the high quality of U.S. 

agricultural commodities. 

QSP participants will be responsible 

for procuring (or arranging for the 

procurement of) commodity samples, 

exporting the samples, and providing 

the on-site technical assistance 

necessary to facilitate successful use of 

the samples by importers. Participants 

that are funded under this 

announcement may seek reimbursement 

from QSP for the sample purchase price, 

the cost of transporting the samples 

domestically to the port of export, and 

then to the foreign port or point of entry. 

Transportation costs from the foreign 

port or point of entry to the final 

destination will not be eligible for 

reimbursement. CCC will not reimburse 

the costs incidental to purchasing and 

transporting samples, for example, 

inspection or documentation fees. 

Although providing technical assistance 

is required for all projects, QSP will not 

reimburse the costs of providing 

technical assistance. A QSP participant 

will be reimbursed after CCC reviews its 

reimbursement claim and determines 

that the claim is complete. 

General Scope of QSP Projects: QSP 

projects are the activities undertaken by 

a QSP participant to provide an 

appropriate sample of a U.S. agricultural 

commodity to a foreign importer, or a 

group of foreign importers, in a given 

market. The purpose of the project is to 

provide information to an appropriate 

target audience regarding the attributes, 

characteristics, and proper use of the 

U.S. commodity. A QSP project 

addresses a single market/commodity 

combination. 

As a general matter, QSP projects 

should conform to the following 

guidelines: 

• Projects should benefit the 

represented U.S. industry and not a 

specific company or brand; 

• Projects should develop a new 

market for a U.S. product, promote a 

new U.S. product, or promote a new use 

for a U.S. product, rather than promote 

the substitution of one established U.S. 

product for another; 

• Sample commodities provided 

under a QSP project must be in 

sufficient supply and available on a 

commercial basis; 

• The QSP project must either subject 

the commodity sample to further 

processing or substantial transformation 

in the importing country, or the sample 

must be used in technical seminars in 

the importing country designed to 

demonstrate to an appropriate target 

audience the proper preparation or use 

of the sample in the creation of an end 

product; 

• Samples provided in a QSP project 

shall not be directly used as part of a 

retail promotion or supplied directly to 

consumers. However, the end product, 

that is, the product resulting from 

further processing, substantial 

transformation, or a technical seminar, 

may be provided to end-use consumers 

to demonstrate to importers consumer 

preference for that end product; and 

• Samples shall be in quantities less 

than a typical commercial sale and 

limited to the amount sufficient to 

achieve the project goal (e.g., not more 

than a full commercial mill run in the 

destination country). 

• Projects should be completed 

within one year of CCC approval. 

QSP projects shall target foreign 

importers and audiences who: 

• Have not previously purchased the 

U.S. commodity that will be transported 

under QSP; 

• Are unfamiliar with the variety, 

quality attribute, or end-use 

characteristic of the U.S. commodity; 

• Have been unsuccessful in previous 

attempts to import, process, and market 

the U.S. commodity (e.g., because of 

improper specification, blending, 

formulation, sanitary, or phytosanitary 

issues); 

• Are interested in testing or 

demonstrating the benefits of the U.S. 

commodity; or 

• Need technical assistance in 

processing or using the U.S. commodity. 

II. Award Information 

Under this announcement, the 

number of projects per participant will 

not be limited. However, individual 

projects will be limited to $75,000 of 

QSP reimbursement. Projects comprised 

of technical preparation seminars, that 

is, projects that do not include further 

processing or substantial 

transformation, will be limited to 

$15,000 of QSP reimbursement as these 

projects require smaller samples. 

Financial assistance will be made 

available on a reimbursement basis 

only; cash advances will not be made 

available to any QSP participant. 

All proposals will be reviewed against 

the evaluation criteria contained herein 

and funds will be awarded on a 

competitive basis. Funding for 

successful proposals will be provided 

through specific agreements between 

the applicant and CCC. These 

agreements will incorporate the 

proposal as approved by FAS. FAS must 

approve in advance any subsequent 

changes to the project. 

III. Eligibility Information 

1. Eligible Applicants: Any United 

States private or government entity 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 profitmaking entities. 

2. Cost Sharing: FAS considers the 

applicant’s willingness to contribute 

resources, including cash, goods, and 

services of the U.S. industry and foreign 

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Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 78 / Tuesday, April 23, 2013 / Notices 23897 

third parties, when determining which 

proposals to approve 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. 

Applicants may submit more than one 

proposal. 

IV. Application and Submission 

Information 

1. Address to Request Application 

Package: Organizations are strongly 

encouraged to submit their QSP 

applications to FAS through the 

Uniform Export Strategy (UES) 

application Internet Web site. The UES 

allows applicants to submit a single 

consolidated and strategically 

coordinated proposal that incorporates 

requests for funding and 

recommendations for virtually all of 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 that would help 

overcome such impediments, consider 

the entire pool of complementary 

marketing tools and program resources, 

and establish realistic export goals. 

Applicants planning to use the 

Internet-based system must contact the 

FAS/Program Operations Division to 

obtain Web site access information. The 

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 

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 of their 

application to FAS at 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. 

2. Content and Form of Application 

Submission: To be considered for QSP, 

an applicant must submit to FAS 

information detailed in this notice. 

Additionally, 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 tollfree DUNS number request line at 1– 

866–705–5711. 

In addition, in accordance with 2 CFR 

Part 25, each entity that applies to QSP 

and does not qualify for an exemption 

under 2 CFR 25.110 must: 

(i) Be registered in the CCR prior to 

submitting an application or plan; 

(ii) Maintain an active CCR 

registration with current information at 

all times during which it has an active 

Federal award or an application or plan 

under consideration by CCC; and 

(iii) Provide its DUNS number in each 

application or plan it submits to CCC. 

Similarly, in accordance with 2 CFR 

Part 170, each entity that applies to the 

QSP and does not qualify for an 

exception under 2 CFR § 170.110(b) 

must ensure it has the necessary 

processes and systems in place to 

comply with the applicable reporting 

requirements of 2 CFR Part 170 should 

it receive QSP funding. 

Incomplete applications and 

applications that do not otherwise 

conform to this announcement will not 

be accepted for review. 

Proposals should contain, at a 

minimum, the following: 

(a) Organizational information, 

including: 

• Organization’s name, address, Chief 

Executive Officer (or designee), Federal 

Tax Identification Number (TIN), and 

DUNS number; 

• Type of organization; 

• Name, telephone number, fax 

number, and email address of the 

primary contact person; 

• A description of the organization 

and its membership; 

• A description of the organization’s 

prior export promotion experience; and 

• A description of the organization’s 

experience in implementing an 

appropriate trade/technical assistance 

component; 

(b) Market information, including: 

• An assessment of the market; 

• A long-term strategy in the market; 

and 

• U.S. export value/volume and 

market share (historic and goals) for 

2007–2013; 

(c) Project information, including: 

• A brief project title; 

• Amount of funding requested; 

• A brief description of the specific 

market development trade constraint or 

opportunity to be addressed by the 

project, performance measures for the 

years 2014–2016, which will be used to 

measure the effectiveness of the project, 

a benchmark performance measure for 

2012, the viability of long-term sales to 

this market, the goals of the project, and 

the expected benefits to the represented 

industry; 

• A description of the activities 

planned to address the constraint or 

opportunity, including how the sample 

will be used in the end-use performance 

trial, the attributes of the sample to be 

demonstrated and its end-use benefit, 

and details of the trade/technical 

servicing component (including who 

will provide and who will fund this 

component); 

• A sample description (i.e., 

commodity, quantity, quality, type, and 

grade), including a justification for 

selecting a sample with such 

characteristics (this justification should 

explain in detail why the project could 

not be effective with a smaller sample); 

• An itemized list of all estimated 

costs associated with the project for 

which reimbursement will be sought; 

• Beginning and end dates for the 

proposed project; 

• The importer’s role in the project 

regarding handling and processing the 

commodity sample; and 

• 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; 

(d) Information indicating all funding 

sources and amounts to be contributed 

by each entity that will supplement 

implementation of the proposed project. 

This may include the organization that 

submitted the proposal, private industry 

entities, host governments, foreign third 

parties, CCC, FAS, or other Federal 

agencies. Contributed resources may 

include cash, goods or services. 

3. Submission Dates and Times: QSP 

funding is reviewed on a rolling basis 

during the fiscal year as long as 

remaining QSP funding is available as 

set forth below: 

• Proposals received by, but not later 

than 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 

28, 2013, will be considered for funding 

with other proposals received by that 

date; 

• Proposals not approved for funding 

during this 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 28, 2013, 

will be considered in the order received 

for funding only if funding remains 

available. 

4. Other Submission Requirements: 

All Internet-based applications must be 

properly submitted by 5 p.m., Eastern 

Daylight Time, May 28, 2013, in order 

to be considered for funding; late 

submissions received after the deadline 

will be considered only if funding 

remains available. All applications 

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23898 Federal Register / Vol. 78, No. 78 / Tuesday, April 23, 2013 / Notices 

submitted by email must be received by 

5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 28, 

2013, at podadmin@fas.usda.gov in 

order to receive the same consideration. 

5. Funding Restrictions: Proposals 

that request more than $75,000 of CCC 

funding for individual projects will not 

be considered. Projects comprised of 

technical preparation seminars will be 

limited to $15,000 in QSP funding. CCC 

will not reimburse expenditures made 

prior to approval of a proposal or 

unreasonable expenditures. 

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 QSP 

funds. 

FAS will use the following criteria in 

evaluating proposals: 

• The ability of the organization to 

provide an experienced staff with the 

requisite technical and trade experience 

to execute the proposal; 

• The extent to which the proposal is 

targeted to a market in which the United 

States is generally competitive; 

• The potential for expanding 

commercial sales in the proposed 

market; 

• The nature of the specific market 

constraint or opportunity involved and 

how well it is addressed by the 

proposal; 

• The extent to which the importer’s 

contribution in terms of handling and 

processing enhances the potential 

outcome of the project; 

• The amount of reimbursement 

requested and the organization’s 

willingness to contribute resources, 

including cash, goods and services of 

the U.S. industry, and foreign third 

parties; and 

• How well the proposed technical 

assistance component assures that 

performance trials will effectively 

demonstrate the intended end-use 

benefit. 

Proposals will be evaluated by the 

Commodity Branch offices in the FAS’ 

Cooperator Programs Division. The 

Commodity Branches will review each 

proposal against the factors described 

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 proposals and 

funding recommendations to the Deputy 

Administrator, Office of Trade 

Programs. 

2. Anticipated Announcement Date: 

Announcements of funding decisions 

for QSP are anticipated during October 

2013. 

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 the levels of QSP funding, 

and any cost-share contribution 

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, including, but not limited 

to, procurement (or arranging for 

procurement) of the commodity sample 

at a fair market price, arranging for 

transportation of the commodity sample 

within the time limit specified in the 

agreement (organizations should 

endeavor to ship commodities within 6 

months of the effective date of the 

agreement), compliance with cargo 

preference requirements (shipment on 

United States flag vessels, as required), 

compliance with the Fly America Act 

requirements (shipment on United 

States air carriers, as required), timely 

and effective implementation of 

technical assistance, and submission of 

a written evaluation report within 90 

days of expiration or termination of the 

agreement. 

QSP projects are subject to review and 

verification by FAS’ Compliance, 

Security and Emergency Planning 

Division. Upon request, a QSP 

participant shall provide to CCC the 

original documents that support the 

participant’s reimbursement claims. 

CCC may deny a claim for 

reimbursement if the claim is not 

supported by adequate documentation. 

3. Reporting: A written evaluation 

report must be submitted within 90 days 

of the expiration or termination of each 

participant’s QSP agreement. Evaluation 

reports should address all performance 

measures that were presented in the 

proposal. 

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. 

Courier address: Room 6512, 1400 

Independence Ave. SW., Washington, 

DC 20250, or by phone: (202) 720–4327, 

or by fax: (202) 720–9361, or by email: 

podadmin@fas.usda.gov. 

Signed at Washington, DC, on the 28th of 

March, 2013. 

Suzanne E. Hermen, 

Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, 

and Vice President, Commodity Credit 

Corporation. 

[FR Doc. 2013–09455 Filed 4–22–13; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 3410–10–P 

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Food Safety and Inspection Service 

[Docket No. FSIS–2012–0046] 

Notice of Request for a New 

Information Collection (Accredited 

Laboratory Contact Update Form) 

AGENCY: Food Safety and Inspection 

Service, USDA. 

ACTION: Notice and request for 

comments. 

SUMMARY: In accordance with the 

Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 and 

Office of Management and Budget 

(OMB) regulations, the Food Safety and 

Inspection Service (FSIS) is announcing 

its intention to request a new 

information collection regarding the 

compilation of updated contact 

information for Accredited Laboratories. 

DATES: Comments on this notice must be 

received on or before June 24, 2013. 

ADDRESSES: FSIS invites interested 

persons to submit comments on this 

notice. Comments may be submitted by 

one of the following methods: 

• Federal eRulemaking Portal: This 

Web site provides the ability to type 

short comments directly into the 

comment field on this Web page or 

attach a file for lengthier comments. Go 

to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow 

the on-line instructions at that site for 

submitting comments. 

• Mail, including CD–ROMs, etc.: 

Send to Docket Clerk, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture, Food Safety and 

Inspection Service, Patriots Plaza 3, 

1400 Independence Avenue SW., 

Mailstop 3782, Room 8–163A, 

Washington, DC 20250–3700. 

• Hand- or courier-delivered 

submittals: Deliver to Patriots Plaza 3, 

355 E Street SW., Room 8–163A, 

Washington, DC 20250–3700. 

Instructions: All items submitted by 

mail or electronic mail must include the 

Agency name and docket number FSIS– 

2012–0046. Comments received in 

response to this docket will be made 

available for public inspection and 

posted without change, including any 

personal information, to http:// 

www.regulations.gov. 

Docket: For access to background 

documents or comments received, go to 

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