[Federal Register: April 15, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 73)]
[Notices]
[Page 21325-21327]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr15ap11-27]
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Notice of Funds Availability: Inviting Applications for the
Market Access Program
Announcement Type: New.
Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) Number: 10.601.
SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces that it is
inviting proposals for the 2012 Market Access Program (MAP). The
intended effect of this notice is to solicit applications from eligible
applicants and to award funds in October 2011. The MAP is administered
by personnel of the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight
Time, May 16, 2011. Applications received after this date will not be
considered.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Entities wishing to apply for funding
assistance should contact the Program Operations Division, Office of
Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, Portals Office Building,
Suite 400, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20024, or by
phone: (202) 720-4327, or by fax: (202) 720-9361, or by e-mail:
podadmin@fas.usda.gov. Information is also available on the FAS Web
site at http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs/map.asp.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: The MAP is authorized under Section 203 of the
Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as amended. MAP regulations appear
at 7 CFR part 1485.
Purpose: The MAP is designed to create, expand, and maintain
foreign markets for U. S. 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 and in the MAP
regulations. All U.S. agricultural commodities, except tobacco, are
eligible for consideration.
The 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, the FAS considers whether the applicant provides 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.
II. Award Information
Under the MAP, the CCC enters into agreements with eligible
participants to share the cost of certain overseas marketing and
promotion activities. MAP participants may receive assistance for
generic or brand promotion activities. For generic activities, funding
priority is given to organizations that have the broadest possible
producer representation of the commodity being promoted and that are
nationwide in membership and scope. Only non-profit U.S. agricultural
trade organizations, nonprofit State regional
[[Page 21326]]
trade groups (SRTGs), non-profit U.S. agricultural cooperatives, and
State government agencies can participate directly in the brand
program. The MAP generally operates on a reimbursement basis.
III. Eligibility Information
1. Eligible Applicants: To participate in the MAP, an applicant
must be a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization, a nonprofit
SRTG, a nonprofit U.S. agricultural cooperative, or a State government
agency. A small-sized U.S. commercial entity may participate through a
MAP participant.
2. Cost Sharing: To participate in the MAP, an applicant must agree
to contribute resources to its proposed promotional activities. The MAP
is intended to supplement, not supplant, the efforts of the U.S.
private sector. In the case of generic promotion, the contribution must
be at least 10 percent of the value of resources provided by CCC for
such generic promotion. In the case of brand promotion, the
contribution must be at least 50 percent of the total cost of such
brand promotion.
The degree of commitment of an applicant to the promotional
strategies contained in its application, as represented by the agreed
cost-share contributions specified therein, is considered by FAS when
determining which applications will be approved for funding. Cost-share
may be actual cash invested or in-kind contributions, such as
professional staff time spent on design and execution of activities.
The MAP regulations, in section 1485.13(c), provide detailed discussion
of eligible and ineligible cost-share contributions.
3. Other: Applications should include a justification for funding
assistance from the program--an explanation as to what specifically
could not be accomplished without Federal funding assistance, and why
participating organization(s) are unlikely to carry out the project
without such assistance.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Address to Request Application Package: Organizations are
encouraged to submit their MAP applications to FAS through the Unified
Export Strategy (UES) application Internet Web site. The UES allows
interested applicants to submit a single consolidated and strategically
coordinated proposal that incorporates requests for funding and
recommendations for virtually all of 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 that they face, identify activities that would
help overcome such impediments, consider the entire pool of
complementary marketing tools and program resources, and establish
realistic export goals. Applicants planning to use the Internet-based
system must contact the FAS/Program Operations Division to obtain Web
site access information. The Internet-based application may be found at
the following URL address: https://www.fas.usda.gov/ues/webapp/.
The FAS highly recommends applying via the Internet-based
application, as this format virtually eliminates paperwork and
expedites the FAS processing and review cycle. However, applicants also
have the option of submitting an electronic version of their
application to FAS at podadmin@fas.usda.gov.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission: To be considered for
the MAP, an applicant must submit to FAS information required by the
MAP regulations in section 1485.13. In addition, in accordance with the
Office of Management and Budget's policy (68 FR 38402 (June 27, 2003))
regarding the need to identify entities that are receiving government
awards, 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
at 1-866-705-5711. Incomplete applications and applications that do not
otherwise conform to this announcement will not be accepted for review.
The FAS administers various other agricultural export assistance
programs including the Foreign Market Development Cooperator
(Cooperator) program, the Emerging Markets Program, the Quality Samples
Program, and the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program. Any
organization that is not interested in applying for the MAP, but would
like to request assistance through one of the other programs mentioned
should contact the Program Operations Division.
3. Submission Dates and Times: All applications must be received by
5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 16, 2011. All MAP applicants,
regardless of the method of submitting an application, must also submit
by the application deadline, an original signed certification statement
as specified in 7 CFR 1485.13(a)(2)(i)(G) to the Program Operations
Division, Office of Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural Service, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20024. Applications or
certifications received after this date will not be considered.
4. Funding Restrictions: Certain types of expenses are not eligible
for reimbursement by the program, and there are limits on other
categories of expenses. CCC also will not reimburse unreasonable
expenditures or expenditures made prior to approval. Full details are
available in the MAP regulations in section 1485.16.
V. Application Review Information
1. Criteria and Review Process: Following is a description of the
FAS process for reviewing applications and the criteria for allocating
available MAP funds.
(1) Phase 1--Sufficiency Review 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 in sections 1485.12 and
1485.13 of the MAP regulations. Applications that meet the requirements
then will be further evaluated by the appropriate Commodity Branch
office of the FAS/Cooperator Programs Division. The Commodity Branch
will review each application against the criteria listed in section
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 then will
be passed on to the Office of the Deputy Administrator, Office of Trade
Programs, for the purpose of allocating available funds among the
applicants. Applicants will compete for funds on the basis of the
following allocation criteria (the number in parentheses represents a
percentage weight factor):
(a) Applicant's Contribution Level (40)
The applicant's 4-year average share (2009-2012) 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 (2009-2012) of the
funding level for all MAP participants.
(b) Past Performance (30)
The 3-year average share (2008-2010) of the value of
exports promoted by the applicant compared to;
The applicant's 2-year average share (2010-2011) of the
funding level for all
[[Page 21327]]
MAP applicants plus, for those groups participating in the Cooperator
program, the 2-year average share (2010-2011) of Cooperator marketing
plan budgets.
(c) Projected Export Goals (15)
The total dollar value of projected exports promoted by
the applicant for 2012 compared to;
The applicant's requested funding level;
(d) Accuracy of Past Projections (15)
Actual exports for 2010 as reported in the 2012 MAP
application compared to;
Past projections of exports for 2010 as specified in the
2010 MAP application.
The Commodity Branches' recommended funding levels for each
applicant are converted to percentages of the total MAP funds available
and then multiplied by each weight factor as described above to
determine the amount of funds allocated to each applicant.
2. Anticipated Announcement Date: Announcements of funding
decisions for the MAP are anticipated during October 2011.
VI. Award Administration Information
1. Award Notices: The FAS will notify each applicant in writing of
the final disposition of its application. The FAS will send an approval
letter and program agreement to each approved applicant. The approval
letter and program agreement will specify the terms and conditions
applicable to the project, including the levels of MAP funding and
cost-share contribution requirements.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Interested
parties should review the MAP regulations, which are available at the
following URL address: http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs/map.asp.
Hard copies may be obtained by contacting the Program Operations
Division.
3. Reporting: The FAS requires various reports and evaluations from
MAP participants. Reporting requirements are detailed in the MAP
regulations in section 1485.20(b) and (c).
VII. Agency Contact(s)
For additional information and assistance, contact the Program
Operations Division, Office of Trade Programs, Foreign Agricultural
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture at: Portals Office Building,
Suite 400, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20024, or by
phone: (202) 720-4327, or by fax: (202) 720-9361, or by e-mail:
podadmin@fas.usda.gov.
Signed at Washington, DC, on the 25th of March, 2011.
John D. Brewer,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 2011-9217 Filed 4-14-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-P
