[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 20 (Monday, February 1, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 4837-4839]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-2254]


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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.

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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

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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