[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 1 (Monday, January 3, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 112-113]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-34058]


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 Notices
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 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 65, No. 1 / Monday, January 3, 2000 / 
Notices  

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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Announcement of the Market Access Program for Fiscal Year 2000

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the availability of funds for the Fiscal 
Year 2000 Market Access Program (MAP).

DATES: All applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time, March 13, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, STOP 1042, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250, (202) 720-4327.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that applications 
are being accepted for participation in the Fiscal Year 2000 MAP. The 
MAP is designed to create, expand, and maintain foreign markets for 
United States agricultural commodities and products through cost-share 
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. The MAP is administered by 
personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
    Under the MAP, CCC enters into agreements with eligible 
participants to share the costs of certain overseas marketing and 
promotion activities. MAP participants may receive assistance for 
either generic or brand promotion activities. The program generally 
operates on a reimbursement basis.

Authority

    The MAP is authorized under section 203 of the Agricultural Trade 
Act of 1978, as amended, and MAP regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1485.

Eligible Applicants

    To participate in the MAP, an applicant must be: A nonprofit U.S. 
agricultural trade organization, a nonprofit state regional trade group 
(i.e., an association of State Departments of Agriculture), a U.S. 
agricultural cooperative, a State agency, or a small-sized U.S. 
commercial entity (other than a cooperative or producer association).

Available Funds

    $90 million of cost-share assistance may be obligated under this 
announcement to eligible MAP applicants.

Application Process

    To be considered for the MAP, an applicant must submit to FAS 
information required by the MAP regulations set forth in 7 CFR part 
1485. Incomplete applications and applications that do not otherwise 
conform to this announcement will not be accepted for review.
    We also point out that FAS administers various other agricultural 
export assistance programs, including the Foreign Market Development 
Cooperator (Cooperator) program, Cochran Fellowships, the Emerging 
Markets Program, the Quality Samples Program, Section 108 foreign 
currency program, and several Export Credit Guarantee programs. 
Organizations which are interested in applying for MAP 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 MAP will not need to 
enter 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.
    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. The Internet-based application, including step-by-
step instructions for its use, is located at the following URL address: 
http://www.fas.usda.gov/cooperators.html.
    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.
    All MAP applicants, whether or not applying via the Internet or 
diskette, must also submit by March 13, 2000, via hand delivery or U.S. 
mail, an original signed certification statement as specified in 7 CFR 
1485.13(a)(2)(i)(G). The UES handbook contains an acceptable 
certification format.
    Any organization which is not interested in applying for the MAP or 
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

[[Page 113]]

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 and address 
the performance measurement objectives of the GPRA.
    Following is a description of the FAS process for reviewing 
applications and the criteria for allocating available MAP funds.

(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Committee 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 at Sec. 1485.12 and 
Sec. 1485.13 of the MAP regulations. Applications which meet the 
application requirements will then be further evaluated by the 
applicable FAS Commodity Division. The Divisions will review each 
application against the criteria listed in Sec. 1485.14 of the MAP 
regulations. The purpose of this review is to identify meritorious 
proposals and to recommend an appropriate funding level for each 
application based upon these criteria.

(2) Phase 2--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 evaluation criteria (the number in 
parentheses represents a percentage weight factor):
(a) Applicant's Contribution Level (40)
     The applicant's 4-year average share (1997-2000) of all 
contributions (cash and goods and services provided by U.S. entities in 
support of overseas marketing and promotion activities) compared to
     The applicant's 4-year average share (1997-2000) of the 
funding level for all MAP participants.
(b) Past Performance (30)
     The 3-year average share (1997-99) of the value of exports 
promoted by the applicant compared to
     The applicant's 2-year average share (1998-99) of the 
funding level for all MAP applicants plus, for those groups 
participating in the Cooperator program, the 2-year average share 
(1999-2000) of Cooperator marketing plan budgets and the 2-year average 
share (1998-99) of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a 
U.S. agricultural office;
(c) Projected Export Goals (15)
    The total dollar value of projected exports promoted by the 
applicant for 2000 compared to
     The applicant's requested funding level;
(d) Accuracy of Past Projections (15)
     Actual exports for 1998 as reported in the 2000 MAP 
application compared to
     Past projections of exports for 1998 as specified in the 
1998 MAP application.
    The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding level for each 
applicant is converted to a percentage of the total MAP funds available 
and multiplied by the total weight factor as described above 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 13, 2000. 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 13, 2000, at one 
of the following addresses:
    Hand Delivery (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.): U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Marketing Operations Staff, 
Room 4932-S, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-
1042.
    U.S. Postal Delivery: Marketing Operations Staff, STOP 1042, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-1042.

    Dated: December 28, 1999.
Timothy J. Galvin,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 99-34058 Filed 12-30-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P