[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 65 (Tuesday, April 7, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 15709-15712]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-7823]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration

[Docket No. 090401622-9623-01; I.D. GF001]


Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) 2009

AGENCY: International Trade Administration (ITA), Department of 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice of funding availability.

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SUMMARY: ITA announces the availability of funding for the FY 2009 
Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP). Through this program, ITA 
helps to underwrite the start-up costs of foreign market development 
ventures that industry organizations are often reluctant to undertake 
without Federal government support. The intent of this program is to 
support ITA's mission to create economic opportunity for U.S. workers 
and firms by promoting international trade and investment, 
strengthening industry competitiveness, and ensuring fair trade.

DATES: Public Meeting: The Department will hold a public meeting to 
discuss MDCP proposal preparation, procedures, and selection process on 
Wednesday, April 22, 2009. The ninety-minute meeting will begin at 2 
p.m. in Room B841B, at the Herbert Clark Hoover Building, 14th and 
Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC. The Department will not 
discuss specific proposals at this meeting. Attendance is not required. 
Interested parties may participate via telephone conference. Dial-in 
instructions will be posted on the Internet at trade.gov/mdcp. 
Interested parties can also obtain dial-in instructions from Mrs. Tonya 
Milstead at 202-482-5093.
    Applications: The Department must receive completed applications by 
5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, Tuesday, June 2, 2009. Late applications 
will not be accepted. Applicants whose applications have been accepted 
will be notified via e-mail or fax within ten days of the submission 
deadline.

ADDRESSES: Application packages will be available at http://www.grants.gov. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their 
applications via http://www.grants.gov. A hard-copy application kit can 
be obtained by contacting Mr. Brad Hess, U.S. Department of Commerce, 
HCHB 3215, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 
20230. Although grants.gov is the preferred method of submission, hard-
copy applications may be submitted to the address noted above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Brad Hess, Manager, Market 
Development Cooperator Program, Manufacturing and Services, ITA, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW., Room 
3215, Washington, DC 20230.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Trade associations, State departments of 
trade, and other non-profit industry organizations are eligible to 
apply for an MDCP award. These organizations are particularly effective 
in reaching small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs). Through MDCP 
cooperative agreements the Department provides technical and financial 
assistance that these organizations match. Organizations compete for a 
limited number of MDCP awards. (The program's eligibility requirements 
effectively preclude applications from individuals and private 
companies.) MDCP awards help to underwrite the start-up costs of new 
ventures that organizations are often reluctant to undertake without 
Federal government support. MDCP strengthens the competitiveness of 
U.S. industry by fostering projects that result in increased exports 
and/or market share for non-agricultural goods and services produced in 
the United States. As an active partner, ITA will, as appropriate, 
guide and assist organizations in achieving project objectives. ITA 
encourages organizations to propose projects that (1) best strengthen 
their industry through market development; and (2) leverage the 
partnership between the organization and ITA.

1. Definitions

    Several definitions are provided in section VIII of the Federal 
Funding Opportunity notice (FFO), which is available at http://www.trade.gov/mdcp.

2. Examples of Project Activity

    Applicants should propose market development activities tailored to 
strengthen the competitiveness of the relevant U.S. industry. Examples 
from prior years are set forth below and, in greater detail, at http://www.trade.gov/mdcp. These are provided only for illustration. 
Applicants are not required to propose any of these activities.
    a. Promotion of standards that ensure market access for U.S. 
products;
    b. Helping business leaders to leverage free trade agreements to 
the advantage of U.S. industry;
    c. Demonstration of U.S. products abroad;
    d. Development of a shared Internet-based distribution system in a 
target market;
    e. Establishment of technical servicing of U.S. products abroad;

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    f. Joint promotion of U.S. products with foreign partners;
    g. Establishment of a trade association office in a target market;
    h. Education of foreign users of U.S. technology concerning 
intellectual property rights;
    i. Training foreign staff for after-sale service of U.S. products 
in target markets;
    j. Increasing trust in U.S. products in foreign markets by 
safeguarding non-U.S. elements of the supply chain with an ingredient 
testing system;
    k. Publication of product brochures and company directories; and
    l. Development of product quality standards and designations along 
with target-market promotion of same.
    Electronic Access: For more information on this program and the 
application requirements, please read the full text of the full funding 
opportunity announcement at http://www.grants.gov. The announcement 
will also be available by contacting the program officials identified 
under FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT.
    Statutory Authority: MDCP is provided for in 15 U.S.C. 4723. The 
program strengthens U.S. industry's competitiveness by developing, 
maintaining, and expanding foreign markets for non-agricultural goods 
and services produced in the United States.
    CFDA: 11.112, Market Development Cooperator Program.
    Funding Availability: Approximately $2,000,000 is expected to be 
available for fiscal year 2009. The total number of awards made will 
depend on the amounts requested by top-scoring applicants and the 
availability of funds. No award will exceed $400,000. The Department 
anticipates awarding five to nine cooperative agreements.
    Eligibility: Trade associations, State departments of trade and 
their regional associations, and non-profit industry organizations, 
including organizations such as World Trade Centers, centers for 
international trade development, and small business development centers 
are eligible to apply for an MDCP award. In cases where no entity 
described above represents the industry, private industry firms or 
groups of firms may be eligible to apply for an MDCP award. Such 
private industry firms or groups of firms must provide in their 
applications, documentation demonstrating that no entity in the first 
three categories listed below represents their industry.
    1. Trade Association. A fee-based organization consisting of member 
firms in the same industry, or in related industries, or which share 
common commercial concerns. The purpose of the trade association is to 
further the commercial interests of its members through the exchange of 
information, legislative activities, and the like.
    2. Non-Profit Industry Organization. This definition applies to: a 
non-profit small business development center operating under agreement 
with the Small Business Administration; a non-profit World Trade Center 
chartered or recognized by the non-profit World Trade Centers 
Association; or an organization granted status as a non-profit 
organization under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3), (4), (5), or (6), which 
operates as one of the following: Chamber of commerce, board of trade, 
business, export or trade council/interest group, visitors bureau or 
tourism promotion group, economic development group, small business 
development center, or port authority.
    3. State Departments of Trade and Their Regional Associations. This 
definition includes: department of a State government tasked with 
promoting trade, tourism, or other types of economic development; 
associations of the departments of trade (as defined above) of two or 
more States; or entities within a State or within a region that are 
associated with a State department of trade, tourism, or other types of 
economic development including non-profit, non-private, non-commercial 
entities which are at least partially funded by, directed by, or tasked 
by a State government to promote trade, tourism, or other types of 
economic development.
    4. Educational Institutions: Educational institutions, such as 
schools, colleges, and universities, are generally not eligible. 
However, organizations that are part of or affiliated with an 
educational institution for administrative, accounting, legal, or 
logistical reasons may be eligible. Such organizations that are not 
independent legal entities--for example, an unincorporated 
organization--that otherwise may be classified above as a trade 
association, non-profit industry association, or State department of 
trade or regional association are eligible. In such a case, the 
eligible entity will include in its application a signed letter from 
the educational institution stating that MDCP funds will be used only 
by the eligible entity for the purposes outlined in its application, 
and that no such funds will be used by or retained by the educational 
institution, even though the funds may need to go through the 
educational institution because of the eligible entity's lack of a 
separate accounting system or lack of status as a separate legal 
entity.
    Cost Sharing Requirements: A cooperator must contribute at least 
two dollars for each Federal dollar received. The first dollar's worth 
of contribution must be cash. The remaining cost share amount can be 
either cash or an in-kind contribution that is equivalent to that 
amount.
    Evaluation and Selection Procedures: The evaluation criteria and 
selection factors that apply to applications to this funding 
opportunity are summarized below. The evaluation criteria for 
applications will have different weights and details. Further 
information about the evaluation criteria and selection factors can be 
found in the full funding opportunity announcement.
    Evaluation Criteria For Projects: The Department is interested in 
projects that demonstrate the possibility of both significant progress 
during the award period, and lasting benefits extending beyond the 
award period. To that end, the selection panel reviews each application 
for financial assistance under MDCP based upon the evaluation criteria 
listed below.
    1. Potential to Strengthen Competitiveness (20 points). A project's 
potential to strengthen competitiveness is evaluated primarily on the 
likelihood that it will result in export initiatives by U.S. firms, 
particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises. Such initiatives are 
normally characterized by a significant expenditure of resources by the 
chief executive officer of a company in the active pursuit of export 
sales. As noted above in Examples of Project Activity, many different 
kinds of activity can strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. industry; 
however, an applicant can earn the maximum number of points under this 
criterion only by demonstrating how its proposed project is expected to 
result in increased export initiatives by individual U.S. firms and 
exports by those firms.
    2. Performance Measurement (20 points). Applicants must provide 
quantifiable estimates of projected export and market share increases 
and explain how they are derived. No application that lacks an estimate 
of exports can receive a performance measurement score that exceeds ten 
(10). Applicants must detail the methods they will use to gather and 
report performance information.
    3. Partnership and Priorities (20 points). The degree to which the 
project initiates or enhances partnership with ITA and the degree to 
which the proposal furthers or is compatible with the following ITA 
priorities:
    a. Improve the competitiveness of U.S. manufacturing and service 
industries by addressing impediments

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to innovation and reducing the cost of doing business in foreign 
countries;
    b. Increase competitiveness of U.S. industries in large markets 
like China, India, and Brazil by addressing non-tariff barriers, 
especially those related to standards and intellectual property rights;
    c. Help U.S. industry to capitalize on effective global supply 
chain management strategies;
    d. Advance market-based approaches to energy, clean development, 
and commercialization of alternative energy technologies;
    e. Facilitate ease of travel to the United States and promote U.S. 
higher education and training opportunities to non-U.S. entities;
    f. Capitalize on trade opportunities resulting from trade 
agreements;
    g. Increase overall export awareness and awareness of ITA programs 
and services among U.S. companies, by making SMEs export-ready or by 
facilitating deal-making; and
    h. Support the Administration's broader foreign policy objectives 
through competitiveness-related initiatives.
    4. Creativity and Capacity (20 points). Creativity, innovation, and 
realism displayed by the work plan as well as the institutional 
capacity of the applicant to carry out the work plan.
    a. Demonstrating Creativity. Applicants might propose ideas not 
previously tried to promote a particular industry in a market. 
Creativity can be demonstrated by the manner in which techniques are 
customized to meet the specific needs of certain client groups.
    b. Table Comparing Proposal to Current or Past MDCP Projects. 
Applicants that have received an MDCP award in the past must submit a 
table comparing their current or past MDCP project(s) and their 
proposed project. The need for this table and the requested format are 
described below. MDCP awards are designed to help underwrite the start-
up costs of new projects. Accordingly, current or past cooperators can 
be in a position to earn the maximum number of points under this 
criterion only if they propose projects that are entirely new. In order 
to determine whether a project is entirely new, the current or past 
cooperator must provide, as a separate appendix, a comparison between 
the elements of the proposed project and the elements of its current or 
past MDCP-funded projects. Current or past cooperators that propose 
projects that are not entirely new will receive fewer points under this 
criterion than they would receive otherwise. In determining the number 
of points under this criterion, the selection panel will consider the 
level to which a particular applicant has incorporated elements of its 
previously funded MDCP projects. To do this, current or past 
cooperators should submit a table wherein they approximate the amount 
of resources devoted to each project element.
    c. Institutional capacity. The Department measures institutional 
capacity by what each applicant submits. A current or past cooperator 
should not assume that success with a prior MDCP project will 
automatically be taken into account by the Department when reviewing 
its application. Each applicant must document its institutional 
capacity in its application.
    5. Budget and Sustainability (20 points). This criterion 
encompasses the reasonableness of the itemized budget for project 
activities, the amount of the cash match that is readily available at 
the beginning of the project, and the probability that the project can 
be continued on a self-sustained basis after the completion of the 
award. Current or past cooperators must show how the proposed project 
will achieve self-sustainability independent of any current or past 
MDCP projects. ITA does not assume that prior MDCP projects are self-
sustaining. As noted in Creativity and Capacity above, ITA assesses 
each application based on what each applicant chooses to include in its 
application. If an applicant wants ITA to consider the self-
sustainability of a prior project when evaluating a new project 
proposal, it should include relevant information in its application. 
Each of the above criteria is worth a maximum of 20 points. The five 
criteria together constitute the application score. At 20 points per 
criterion, the total possible score is 100.
    Review and Selection Process: The applicant is responsible for 
submitting a complete application in a timely manner. Each complete 
application will be subject to the process set forth below.
    1. Eligibility Determination. The MDCP staff of the Office of 
Planning, Coordination and Management (OPCM) in ITA's Manufacturing and 
Services (MAS), in consultation with the Department's Office of General 
Counsel, reviews all applications to determine the eligibility of each 
applicant.
    2. Program Area Review. Relevant program areas, including ITA's 
MAS, Market Access and Compliance (MAC), and Commercial Service, have 
the opportunity to review the submitted applications. This allows 
experts in the industry sector or geographical region to assess 
applicant claims. These reviewers provide insights into both the 
potential benefits and the potential difficulties associated with the 
applications.
    3. OPCM Review. Representatives of OPCM review and comment on 
applications using the evaluation criteria identified above. OPCM 
prepares for the selection panel a review packet including the 
applications and reviewer comments. The OPCM staff and program area 
comments afford the selection panel the insights and breadth of 
experience of Department professionals. However, the selection panel is 
free to consider or disregard them as it sees fit.
    4. Selection Panel Composition. The MDCP Manager forwards all of 
the eligible applications, along with all related materials, to the 
selection panel of at least three senior ITA managers. This panel is 
chaired by the OPCM Director and typically includes three other 
members, one each from MAS, MAC, and the Commercial Service. Panel 
members are office directors or higher.
    5. Selection Panel Scoring. Each selection panel member reviews 
each eligible application and assigns a score for each of the five 
criteria stated above. The scores of each selection panel member for 
each application reviewed are maintained in the files for seven years. 
The individual criteria scores are averaged to determine the total 
score for each application. The evaluation criteria scores assigned by 
the panel determine which applications are recommended for funding.
    6. Ranked Recommendation. Based on the scores assigned by selection 
panel members and deliberations by the selection panel, the selection 
panel forwards the applications with the ten highest total scores 
(``top-ranked applications'') to the Assistant Secretary for 
Manufacturing and Services and recommends which of the top applications 
should receive funding. If the amount of funds requested by the top ten 
applicants is less than the funding available, the selection panel 
recommends additional applications for funding in rank order. The 
selection panel's recommendation will not deviate from the rank order. 
This means, for example, that the selection panel cannot recommend 
funding for the application ranked seventh without recommending funding 
for applicants ranked first through sixth. The selection panel 
recommendation includes the panel's written assessment of the strengths 
and weaknesses of the top-ranked applications.
    Selection Factors for Projects: From the top-ranked applications 
forwarded by the selection panel, the Assistant Secretary for 
Manufacturing and

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Services selects those applications that will receive funding. In 
addition to the Evaluation Criteria for Projects above, the Assistant 
Secretary for Manufacturing and Services may consider the selection 
factors listed below: 1. The selection panel's written assessments, 2. 
The degree to which applications satisfy the ITA priorities established 
under Project Funding Priorities above, 3. Geographic distribution of 
the proposed awards, 4. Diversity of industry sectors and overseas 
markets covered by the proposed awards, 5. Diversity of project 
activities represented by the proposed awards, 6. Avoidance of 
redundancy and conflicts with the initiatives of other Federal 
agencies, and 7. Availability of funds.
    Intergovernmental Review: There are no intergovernmental review 
requirements beyond those already noted.
    Limitation of Liability: In no event will the Department of 
Commerce be responsible for proposal preparation costs if these 
programs fail to receive funding or are cancelled because of other 
agency priorities. Publication of this announcement does not oblige the 
Department of Commerce to award any specific project or to obligate any 
available funds.
    Paperwork Reduction Act: This document contains collection-of-
information requirements subject to the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA). 
The use of Standard Forms 424, 424A, 424B, and SF-LLL and CD-346 has 
been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) under the 
respective control numbers 0348-0043, 0348-0044, 0348-0040, 0348-0046, 
and 0605-0001.
    Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no person is required 
to, nor shall a person be subject to a penalty for failure to comply 
with, a collection of information subject to the requirements of the 
PRA unless that collection of information displays a currently valid 
OMB control number.
    Executive Order 12866: This notice has been determined to be not 
significant for purposes of Executive Order 12866.
    Executive Order 13132 (Federalism): It has been determined that 
this notice does not contain policies with Federalism implications as 
that term is defined in Executive Order 13132.
    Administrative Procedure Act/Regulatory Flexibility Act:
    Prior notice and an opportunity for public comment are not required 
by the Administrative Procedure Act or any other law for rules 
concerning public property, loans, grants, benefits, and contracts (5 
U.S.C. 553(a)(2)). Because notice and opportunity for comment are not 
required pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 553 or any other law, the analytical 
requirements for the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) 
are inapplicable. Therefore, a regulatory flexibility analysis has not 
been prepared.

    Dated: April 2, 2009.
Robert W. Pearson,
Director, Office of Planning, Coordination and Management Manufacturing 
and Services, International Trade Administration, Department of 
Commerce.
 [FR Doc. E9-7823 Filed 4-6-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-22-P