[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 250 (Thursday, December 28, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82314-82315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-33138]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Announcement of the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program 
for Fiscal Year 2002

AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces the application period for the Fiscal 
Year 2002 Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program.

DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard 
Time, March 12, 2001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. 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 2002 Cooperator 
program. The program is designed to create, expand, and maintain 
foreign markets for United States 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. The Cooperator program is administered by personnel of the 
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
    Under the Cooperator program, CCC enters into 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. Cooperators may only receive assistance for the promotion of 
generic activities that do not involve promotions targeted directly at 
consumers. The program generally operates on a reimbursement basis.

Authority

    The Cooperator program is authorized by Section 5(f) of the 
Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act, 15 U.S.C. 714c(f). Cooperator 
program regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484.

Eligible Applicants

    To participate in the Cooperator program, an applicant must be a 
nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization.

Application Process

    To be considered for the Cooperator program, an applicant must 
submit to FAS information required by the Cooperator program 
regulations set forth in 7 CFR part 1484. 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 Market Access Program (MAP), 
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 Cooperator program funds are encouraged to submit their 
requests using the Unified Export Strategy (UES) format. The UES 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 the 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. Applicants 
also have the option of submitting electronic versions (along with two 
paper copies) of their applications to FAS on diskette.
    Applicants planning to sue the Internet-based system must contact 
the

[[Page 82315]]

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 Cooperator program applicants, whether applying via the 
Internet or diskette, must also submit by March 12, 2001, via hand 
delivery or U.S. mail, an original signed certification statement as 
specified in 7 CFR section 1484.20(a)(14). The UES handbook contains an 
acceptable certification format.
    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 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 Cooperator 
program funds.

(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Committee and FAS Divisional Review

    Application 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. 1484.14 and 
Sec. 1484.20 of the Cooperator program 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. 1484.21 and 
Sec. 1484.22 of the Cooperator program 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 allocation criteria (the number in 
parentheses represents a percentage weight factor).
(a) Contribution Level (40)
     The applicant's 6-year average share (1997-2002 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 (1997-2002 of all 
Cooperator marketing plan budgets.
(b) Past Export Performance (20)
     The 6-year average share (1996-2001 of the value of 
exports promoted by the applicant compared to
     The applicant's 6-year average share (1996-2001 of all 
Cooperator marketing plan budgets plus a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of MAP program ceiling levels and a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) 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 (1996-2001) of the total value of 
world trade of the commodities promoted by the applicant compared to
     The applicant's 6-year average share (1996-2001) of all 
Cooperator marketing plan budgets plus a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of MAP program ceiling levels and a 6-year average share (1995-
2000) of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S. 
agricultural trade office.
(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 2007 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 2000 compared 
to
     The applicant's past projected share of world trade of the 
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2000, as 
specified in the 2000 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 12, 2001. 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 12, 2001, 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, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.
    U.S. Postal Delivery: Marketing Operations Staff, STOP 1042, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.

Timothy J. Galvin,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 00-33138 Filed 12-27-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M