[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 12 (Friday, January 17, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2489-2491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-1117]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Foreign Agricultural Service


Announcement of the Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program

AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Foreign Agricultural Service is inviting proposals for the 
fiscal year 2004 Foreign Market Development Cooperator Program.

DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. eastern standard 
time on March 10, 2003.

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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 4932-S, STOP 
1042, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250, (202) 720-
4327.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Introduction

    The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announces that applications 
are being accepted for participation in the fiscal year 2004 Foreign 
Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program. The 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.
    Under the Cooperator Program, FAS enters into agreements with 
nonprofit U.S. trade organizations which have the broadest possible 
producer representation of the commodity being promoted and gives 
priority to those organizations which are nationwide in membership and 
scope. Cooperators may receive assistance only for the promotion of 
generic activities which do not involve promotions targeted directly to 
consumers. The program generally operates on a reimbursement basis.

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.

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 the FAS information required by the Cooperator Program 
regulations set forth in 7 CFR part 1484. Incomplete applications and 
applications which do not otherwise conform to this announcement will 
not be accepted for review.
    The 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, Technical Assistance for 
Specialty Crops 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 
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 which 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 the FAS through the UES application Internet site. The 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 the FAS on 
diskette.
    Applicants planning to use the Internet-based system must contact 
the Marketing Operations Staff on (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 obtain 
an application format by contacting the Marketing Operations Staff on 
(202) 720-4327.
    All Cooperator Program applicants, whether applying via the 
Internet or diskette, also must submit by March 10, 2003, via hand 
delivery or U.S. mail, an original signed certification statement as 
specified in 7 CFR section 1484.20(a)(14).
    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 on (202) 720-4327.

Review Process and Allocation Criteria

    The FAS allocates funds in a manner which effectively supports the 
strategic decision-making initiatives of the Government Performance and 
Results Act (GPRA) of 1993 and the USDA's Food and Agricultural Policy 
(FAP). In deciding whether a proposed project will contribute to the 
effective creation, expansion, or maintenance of foreign markets, the 
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. The 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 and FAP.
    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 the 
FAS to determine the eligibility of the applicants and the completeness 
of the applications. These requirements appear at Sec. Sec.  1484.14 
and `` 1484.20 of the Cooperator Program regulations. Applications 
which meet the application requirements then will be further evaluated 
by the proper 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 then will 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 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)

    [sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (1999-2004) 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
    [sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (1999-2004) of all 
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures.


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(b) Past Export Performance (20)

    The 6-year average share (1998-2003) of the value of exports 
promoted by the applicant compared to
    [sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (1998-2003) of all 
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures plus a 6-year average share 
(1997-2002) of MAP expenditures and a 6-year average share (1997-2002) 
of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S. agricultural 
trade office.

(c) Past Demand Expansion Performance (20)

    [sbull] The 6-year average share (1998-2003) of the total value of 
world trade of the commodities promoted by the applicant compared to
    [sbull] The applicant's 6-year average share (1998-2003) of all 
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures plus a 6-year average share 
(1997-2002) of MAP expenditures and a 6-year average share (1997-2002) 
of foreign overhead provided for co-location within a U.S. agricultural 
trade office.

(d) Future Demand Expansion Goals (10)

    [sbull] The projected total dollar value of world trade of the 
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2009 compared 
to
    [sbull] The applicant's requested funding level.

(e) Accuracy of Past Demand Expansion Projections (10)

    [sbull] The actual dollar value share of world trade of the 
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2002 compared 
to

    [sbull] The applicant's past projected share of world trade of the 
commodities being promoted by the applicant for the year 2002, as 
specified in the 1999 Cooperator Program application.
    The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding levels for each 
applicant are converted to percentages of the total Cooperator Program 
funds available then 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 
p.m. eastern standard time, March 10, 2003. 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 p.m. eastern standard time, March 10, 2003, 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: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, Marketing Operations Staff, STOP 1042, 1400 
Independence Ave., SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.

    Signed in Washington, DC on January 8, 2003.
Kenneth J. Roberts,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service.
[FR Doc. 03-1117 Filed 1-16-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P