[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 139 (Monday, July 21, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Page 38980]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-19083]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration
[Docket No. 970424097-7169-02]
RIN 0625-ZA05


Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP)

AGENCY: International Trade Administration (ITA), Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of clarification of award period.

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SUMMARY: It has come to the attention of ITA that its existing 
limitation on the period over which MDCP funds can be expended may be 
in conflict with the standard provision contained in all Department of 
Commerce notices of funds availability concerning the extension of the 
period of performance under the award. The purpose of this notice is to 
clarify existing ITA discretion on the maximum award period and the 
time over which MDCP award funds may be expended.
    All five MDCP notices requesting applications contained the 
following language:
    Award Period: Funds may be expended over the period of time 
required to complete the scope of work, but not to exceed three (3) 
years from the date of the award.
    This limitation was included in the following Federal Register 
notices: 58 FR 4153, January 13, 1993; 59 FR 21750, April 26, 1994; 60 
FR 10353, February 24, 1997; 61 FR 30033, June 13, 1996;; and 62 FR 
29710, June 2, 1997.
    The intent of the above-referenced language, viewed in the context 
of inviting MDCP applications, was to solicit initial applications with 
comparable award and budget periods for purposes of evaluation. The 
three year award period was not mandated by the MDCP authorizing 
legislation at 15 U.S.C. 4723. All applications complied with the 
funding limitation specified by ITA. This language, however, was not 
intended to prohibit the ITA and the Grants Officer from extending the 
end date of an MDCP award beyond three years for justified reasons. As 
specified in the following standard provision of the Federal Register 
notices:

Other Requirements

    (4) No Obligation for Future Funding.--If an application is 
selected for funding, the Department of Commerce has no obligation 
to provide any additional further funding in connection with that 
award. Renewal of an award to increase funding or extend the period 
of performance is at the total discretion of the Department of 
Commerce.

    Accordingly, it is consistent with the above-referenced Federal 
Register notices to allow for extensions of MDCP awards beyond three 
years if such extensions are in the best interest of ITA and the award 
recipient.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jerome S. Morse, Director Resource Management and Planning Staff, Trade 
Development, ITA, Room 3211, Washington, DC 20230, (202) 482-3197.

    Dated: July 15, 1997.
Jerome S. Morse,
Director, Resource Management and Planning Staff Trade Development.
[FR Doc. 97-19083 Filed 7-18-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-M