[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 61 (Friday, March 30, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15582-15583]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 07-1592]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Commodity Credit Corporation


Notice of Funds Availability; Inviting Applications for the 
Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program

    Announcement Type: New.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.604.

SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces the 
availability of funding for the 2008 Technical Assistance for Specialty 
Crops (TASC) Program. The intended effect of this notice is to solicit 
applications from the private sector and from government agencies for 
participation in the FY 2008 TASC Program. The TASC Program is 
administered by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

DATES: See paragraph IV.3 below for a detailed description of relevant 
dates.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Entities wishing to apply for funding 
assistance should contact the Program Policy Staff, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Portals Office 
Building, Suite 400, 1250 Maryland Avenue, Stop 1042, SW., Washington, 
DC 20024, phone: (202) 720-4327, fax: (202) 720-9361, email: 
[email protected]. Information is also available on the Foreign 
Agricultural Service Web site at http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/tasc/tasc.asp.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    Authority: The TASC Program is authorized by section 3205 of Pub. 
L. 107-171. TASC regulations appear at 7 CPR part 1487.
    Purpose: The TASC Program is designed to assist U.S. organizations 
by providing funding for projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary, 
or related technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of 
U.S. specialty crops. U.S. specialty crops, for the purpose of the TASC 
Program, are defined to include all cultivated plants, or the products 
thereof, produced in the United States, except wheat, feed grains, 
oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, and tobacco.
    As a general matter, TASC Program projects should be designed to 
accomplish the following goals:
     Projects should address a sanitary, phytosanitary, or 
related technical barrier that prohibits or threatens the export of 
U.S. specialty crops;
     Projects should demonstrably benefit the represented 
industry and not a specific company or brand; and,
     Projects must address barriers to U.S. specialty crops 
that are currently available on a commercial basis and for which 
barrier removal would predominantly benefit U.S. exports.
    Examples of expenses that CCC may agree to reimburse under the TASC 
Program include, but are not limited to: initial pre-clearance 
programs, export protocol and work plan support, seminars and 
workshops, study tours, field surveys, development of pest lists, pest 
and disease research, database development, reasonable logistical and 
administrative support, and travel and per diem expenses.

II. Award Information

    In general, all qualified proposals received before the specified 
application deadlines will compete for funding. The limited funds and 
the range of barriers affecting the exports of U.S. specialty crops 
worldwide preclude CCC from approving large budgets for individual 
projects. In prior years, the amount of funding per proposal has ranged 
from $13,000 to $250,000, the maximum allowed.
    Applicants may submit multiple proposals, and applicants with 
previously approved TASC proposals may apply for additional funding. 
However, no TASC participant may have more than three approved projects 
underway at any given time.
    FAS will consider providing either grant funds as direct assistance 
to U.S. organizations or providing technical assistance on behalf of 
U.S. organizations, provided that the organization submits timely and 
qualified proposals. FAS will review all proposals against the 
evaluation criteria contained in the program regulations.
    Funding for successful proposals will be provided through specific 
agreements. These agreements will incorporate the proposal as approved 
by FAS. FAS must approve in advance any subsequent changes to the 
project. FAS or another Federal agency may be involved in the 
implementation of approved projects.

III. Eligibility Information

    1. Eligible Applicants: Any United States organization, private or 
government, may apply to the program. Government organizations consist 
of federal, state, and local agencies. Private organizations include 
non-profit trade associations, universities, agricultural cooperatives, 
state regional trade groups, and private companies.
    Foreign organizations, whether government or private, may 
participate as third parties in activities carried out by U.S. 
organizations, but are not eligible for funding assistance from the 
program.
    2. Cost Sharing or Matching: Applicants are very strongly 
encouraged to provide matching funds or cost sharing support in this 
highly competitive program. Such support may be in the form of cash, 
goods, or in-kind services which are dedicated to the project by the 
organization that submitted the proposal, private industry entities, 
host governments, or foreign third parties.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    1. Application through the UES: Organizations are strongly 
encouraged to submit applications to FAS through the Unified Export 
Strategy (UES) application Internet website. Using the UES application 
process reduces paperwork and expedites FAS' processing and review 
cycle. Applicants planning to use the UES Internet-based system must 
contact FAS Program Policy Staff on (202) 720-4327 to obtain site 
access information including a user ID and password. The UES Internet-
based application, including a Help file containing step-by-step 
instructions for its use, may be found at the following URL address: 
http://www.fas.usda.gov/cooperators.html.
    2. Application through electronic and hard copies: Applicants also 
have the option of submitting electronic versions in the UES format 
(along with two paper copies) of their applications to FAS on diskette. 
Applicants who choose to submit applications on diskette can obtain an 
application format at the following URL address:

[[Page 15583]]

http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/tasc/proposals.html.
    3. Content and Form of Application Submission: All TASC proposals 
must contain complete information about the proposed projects as 
described in Sec.  1487.5(b) of the TASC Program regulations. In 
addition, in accordance with the Office of Management and Budget's 
policy directive regarding the use of a universal identifier for all 
Federal grants and cooperative agreements, all applicants must submit a 
Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number. An 
applicant may request a DUNS number at no cost by calling the dedicated 
toll-free DUNS number request line on 1-866-705-5711. Incomplete 
applications and applications which do not otherwise conform to this 
announcement will not be accepted for review.
    4. Submission Dates and Times: TASC funding is limited, and in 
order to assure sufficient resources are available to meet 
unanticipated needs during the fiscal year, TASC proposals will, 
generally, only be evaluated on a semi-annual basis. That is:
     Proposals received prior to, but not later than, 5 p.m. 
Eastern Daylight Time, May 14, 2007, will be considered for funding 
with other proposals received by that date;
     Proposals not approved for funding during the review 
period will be reconsidered for funding after the review period only if 
the applicant specifically requests such reconsideration in writing, 
and only if funding remains available;
     Proposals received after 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 
14, 2007, will be considered for funding only if funding remains 
available.
    Notwithstanding the foregoing, a proposal may be submitted for 
expedited consideration under the TASC Quick Response process if, in 
addition to meeting all requirements of the TASC program, a proposal 
clearly identifies a time-sensitive activity. In these cases, a 
proposal may be submitted at any time for an immediate evaluation.
    FAS will track the time and date of receipt of all proposals.
    5. Funding Restrictions: Proposals which request more than $250,000 
of CCC funding in a given year will not be considered. Proposals to 
fund projects that exceed three years in duration will not be 
considered. No TASC participant may have more than three approved 
projects underway at any given time. Although funded projects may take 
place in the United States, all eligible projects must specifically 
address sanitary, phytosanitary, or technical barriers to the export of 
U.S. specialty crops.
    Certain types of expenses are not eligible for reimbursement by the 
program, including the costs of market research, advertising, or other 
promotional expenses. CCC will not reimburse unreasonable expenditures 
or any expenditure made prior to approval of a proposal.
    6. Other Submission Requirements: All Internet-based applications 
must be properly submitted by 5 p.m., Eastern Daylight Time, on May 14, 
2007, to be considered.
    All applications on diskette (with two accompanying paper copies) 
and any other applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight 
Time, on May 14, 2007, at one of the following addresses:
    Hand Delivery (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.): U.S. Department of 
Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service, Program Policy Staff, 
Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20024.
    U.S. Postal Delivery: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Foreign 
Agricultural Service, Program Policy Staff, Stop 1042, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-1042.

Application Review Information

    1. Criteria: FAS follows the evaluation criteria set forth in Sec.  
1487.6 of the TASC regulations.
    2. Review and Selection Process: FAS will review proposals for 
eligibility and will evaluate each proposal against the factors 
referred to above. The purpose of this review is to identify 
meritorious proposals, recommend an appropriate funding level for each 
proposal based upon these factors, and submit the proposals and funding 
recommendations to the Deputy Administrator, Office of Trade Programs. 
FAS may, when appropriate, request the assistance of other U.S. 
government subject area experts in evaluating the merits of a proposal.

VI. Award Administration Information

    1. Award Notices: FAS will notify each applicant in writing of the 
final disposition of its application. FAS will send an approval letter 
and agreement to each approved applicant. The approval letter and 
agreement will specify the terms and conditions applicable to the 
project, including levels of funding, timelines for implementation, and 
written evaluation requirements.
    2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: The agreements 
will incorporate the details of each project as approved by FAS. Each 
agreement will identify terms and conditions pursuant to which CCC will 
reimburse certain costs of each project. Agreements will also outline 
the responsibilities of the participant. Interested parties should 
review the TASC Program regulations found at 7 CFR part 1487 in 
addition to this announcement.
    3. Reporting: TASC participants are required to submit a written 
report(s), on no less than an annual basis, and a final report, each of 
which evaluates their TASC project using the performance measures 
presented in the approved proposal.

VII. Agency Contact

    For additional information or assistance, contact the Program 
Policy Staff,
    Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW., 
Washington, DC 20024, phone: (202) 720-4327, fax: (202) 720-9361, e-
mail: [email protected].

W. Kirk Miller,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President, 
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 07-1592 Filed 3-29-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M