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[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 7, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 18594-18596]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-07943]

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation

Notice of Funds Availability: Inviting Applications for the 
Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program

SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is 
inviting proposals for the 2016 Foreign Market Development Cooperator 
(Cooperator) program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit 
applications from eligible applicants for fiscal year 2016 and to set 
out criteria for the award of funds under the program in October 2015. 
The Cooperator program is administered by personnel of the Foreign 
Agricultural Service (FAS).

DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight 
Time, June 8, 2015. 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 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: 
uesadmin@fas.usda.gov. Information is also available on the FAS Web 
site at http://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/foreign-market-development-program-fmd.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. Funding Opportunity Description

    Announcement Type: New.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.600.
    Authority: The Cooperator program is authorized by title VII of the 
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as amended. Cooperator program 
regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484.
    Purpose: The Cooperator program is designed to create, expand, and 
maintain foreign markets for U.S. 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 and in the Cooperator program regulations. All U.S. agricultural 
commodities, except tobacco, are eligible for consideration.
    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 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. 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.

B. Award Information

    Under the Cooperator program, and subject to the availability of 
funding, FAS enters into agreements with eligible nonprofit U.S. trade 
organizations to share the cost of certain overseas marketing and 
promotion 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. 
Cooperators may receive assistance only for generic activities that do 
not involve promotions targeted directly to consumers. The program 
generally operates on a reimbursement basis.

C. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: To participate in the Cooperator program, 
an applicant must be a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization.
    2. Cost Sharing: To participate in the Cooperator program, an 
applicant must agree to contribute resources to its proposed 
promotional activities. The Cooperator program is intended to 
supplement, not supplant, the efforts of the U.S. private sector. The 
contribution must be at least 50 percent of the value of resources 
provided by CCC for activities conducted under the project agreement.
    The degree of commitment of an applicant to the promotional 
strategies contained in its application, as represented by the agreed 
cost-share contributions specified therein, is considered by FAS when 
determining which applications will be approved for funding. Cost-share 
may be actual cash invested or in-kind contributions, such as 
professional staff time spent on design and execution of activities. 
The Cooperator program regulations, including sections 1484.50 and 
1484.51, provide detailed discussion of eligible and ineligible cost-
share contributions.
    3. Other: Applications 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 
participating organization(s) are unlikely to carry out the project 
without such assistance.

D. Application and Submission Information

    1. Address to Request Application Package: Organizations are 
encouraged to submit their FMD applications to the FAS through the 
Unified 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 faced, 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 site access information. 
The Internet-based application may be found at the following URL 
address: https://www.fas.usda.gov/ues/webapp/.

[[Page 18595]]

    FAS highly recommends applying via the Internet-based application 
as this format virtually eliminates paperwork and expedites the FAS 
processing and review cycle. However, applicants also have the option 
of submitting an electronic version of their application to FAS at 
uesadmin@fas.usda.gov.
    2. Content and Form of Application Submission: To be considered for 
the Cooperator program, an applicant must submit to FAS information 
required by the Cooperator program regulations in section 1484.20.
    In addition, in accordance with 2 CFR part 25, each entity that 
applies to the Cooperator program and does not qualify for an exemption 
under 2 CFR 25.110 must:
    (i) Provide a valid DUNS number in each application or plan it 
submits to CCC;
    (ii) Be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) prior 
to submitting an application or plan; and
    (iii) Continue to maintain an active SAM registration with current 
information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or 
an application or plan under consideration by CCC.
    Similarly, in accordance with 2 CFR part 170, each entity that 
applies to the Cooperator program 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 funding under the Cooperator 
program. Incomplete applications and applications that do not otherwise 
conform to this announcement or the Cooperator program regulations will 
not be accepted for review.
    FAS administers various other agricultural export assistance 
programs, including the Market Access Program (MAP), the Emerging 
Markets Program, the Quality Samples Program, and the Technical 
Assistance for Specialty Crops program. Any organization that 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 Program Operations Division.
    3. Submission Dates and Times: All applications must be received by 
5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, June 8, 2015. All Cooperator program 
applicants, regardless of the method of submitting an application, also 
must submit by the application deadline, an original signed 
certification statement as specified in 7 CFR 1484.20(a)(14) to the 
Program Operations Division, Office of Trade Programs, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 6512, 1400 
Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20250. Applications or 
certifications received after this date will not be considered.
    4. Funding Restrictions: Certain types of expenses are not eligible 
for reimbursement by the program, and there are limits on other 
categories of expenses. CCC also will not reimburse unreasonable 
expenditures or expenditures made prior to approval. Full details are 
available in the Cooperator program regulations, including sections 
1484.54 and 1484.55.

E. 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 Cooperator program funds.

(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Review 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 in sections 1484.14 and 
1484.20 of the Cooperator program regulations as well as in this 
Notice. Applications that meet the requirements then will be further 
evaluated by the appropriate Commodity Branch office of the FAS/
Cooperator Programs Division. The Commodity Branch will review each 
application against the criteria listed in section 1484.21 of the 
Cooperator program regulations. The purpose of this review is to 
identify meritorious proposals. The Commodity Branch then recommends an 
appropriate funding level for each approved application for 
consideration by the Office of the Deputy Administrator, Office of 
Trade Programs.

(2) Phase 2--Competitive Review

    Meritorious applications are passed on to the Office of the Deputy 
Administrator, Office of Trade Programs, for the purpose of allocating 
available funds among those applicants. Applicants will compete for 
funds on the basis of the following allocation criteria as appropriate 
(the number in parentheses represents a percentage weight factor):
(a) Contribution Level (40)
     The applicant's 6-year average share (2011-2016) of all 
contributions under the Cooperator program (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 (2011-2016) of the 
funding level for all Cooperator program participants.
(b) Past Export Performance (20)
     The 6-year average share (2010-2015) of the value of 
exports promoted by the applicant compared to;
     The applicant's 6-year average share (2010-2015) of the 
funding level for all Cooperator participants plus, for those groups 
participating in the MAP program, a 6-year average share (2010-2015) of 
all MAP budgets.
(c) Past Demand Expansion Performance (20)
     The 6-year average share (2010-2015) of the total value of 
world trade of the commodities promoted by the applicant compared to;
     The applicant's 6-year average share (2010-2015) of all 
Cooperator program expenditures plus, for those groups participating in 
the MAP program, a 6-year average share (2010-2015) of all MAP 
expenditures.
(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 2021 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 2014 compared 
to;
     The applicant's past projected share of world trade of the 
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2014, as 
specified in the 2011 Cooperator program application.
    The Commodity Branches' recommended funding levels for each 
applicant are converted to percentages of the total Cooperator program 
funds available and then multiplied by each weight factor to determine 
the amount of funds allocated to each applicant.
    2. Anticipated Announcement Date: Announcements of funding 
decisions for the Cooperator program are anticipated during October 
2015.

F. Federal Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: FAS will notify each applicant in writing of the 
final disposition of its application. FAS will send an approval letter 
and project agreement to each approved applicant.

[[Page 18596]]

The approval letter and project agreement will specify the terms and 
conditions applicable to the project, including the levels of 
Cooperator program funding, and cost-share contribution requirements.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Interested 
parties should review the Cooperator program regulations, which are 
available at the following URL address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/foreign-market-development-program-fmd. Hard copies may be 
obtained by contacting the Program Operations Division.
    3. Reporting: FAS requires various reports and evaluations from 
Cooperators. Reporting requirements are detailed in the Cooperator 
program regulations in sections 1484.53, 1484.70, and 1484.72.

G. Federal 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: uesadmin@fas.usda.gov.

    Signed at Washington, DC, on the 1st of April 2015.
Asif Chaudhry,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2015-07943 Filed 4-6-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE CODE 3410-10-P
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