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[Federal Register: January 17, 2003 (Volume 68, Number 12)]
[Notices]
[Page 2486-2487]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Commodity Credit Corporation
Announcement of the 2003/2004 Market Access Program
AGENCY: Commodity Credit Corporation, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
SUMMARY: The Commodity Credit Corporation is inviting proposals for the 2003/2004 Market Access Program.
DATES: All applications must be received by 5 p.m.
eastern standard time, March 10, 2003.
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 20250-1042, (202) 720-4327.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Introduction
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announces
that applications are being accepted for participation in the 2003/2004 Market
Access Program (MAP). The MAP is designed to create, expand and maintain foreign
markets for United States' 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. The MAP is administered by the Foreign Agricultural
Service (FAS).
Under the MAP, the CCC enters into agreements with eligible participants to
share the costs of certain overseas marketing and promotion activities. MAP
participants may receive assistance for either generic or brand promotion
activities. The program generally operates on a reimbursement basis.
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.
Eligible Applicants
To participate in the MAP, an applicant must be: a nonprofit U.S. agricultural trade organization, a nonprofit state regional trade group (i.e., an association of State Departments of Agriculture), a U.S. agricultural cooperative, a State agency, or a small-sized U.S. commercial entity (other than a cooperative or producer association).
Application Process
To be considered for the MAP, an applicant must
submit to the FAS information required by the MAP regulations set forth in 7 CFR
part 1485. 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 Foreign Market Development Cooperator (Cooperator) Program,
Cochran Fellowships, the Emerging Markets Program (EMP), the Quality Samples
Program (QSP), the Section 108 Foreign Currency Program, the Technical
Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program and several Export Credit
Guarantee programs. Organizations which are interested in applying for MAP 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 Web 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 FAS
Marketing Operations Staff at (202) 720-4327 to obtain site access information.
The Internet-based application, including step-by-step instructions for its use,
may be found 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 at (202)
720-4327.
All MAP 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 1485.13(a)(2)(i)(G).
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 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 MAP 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. 1485.12 and Sec. 1485.13 of the MAP regulations. Applications which meet the requirements then will be further evaluated by the proper FAS Commodity Division. The Divisions will review each application against the criteria listed in Sec. 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, 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) Applicant's Contribution Level (40)
[sbull] The applicant's 4-year average share
(2000-2003) of all contributions (cash and goods and services provided by U.S.
entities in support of overseas marketing and promotion activities) compared
to
[sbull] The applicant's 4-year average share (2000-2003) of the funding level
for all MAP participants.
(b) Past Performance (30)
[sbull] The 3-year average share (2000-2002) of the
value of exports promoted by the applicant compared to
[sbull] The applicant's 2-year average share (2001-2002) of the funding level
for all MAP applicants plus, for those groups participating in the Cooperator
program, the 2-year average share (2002-2003) of Cooperator marketing plan
budgets, and the 2-year average share (2001-2002) of foreign overhead provided
for co-location within a U.S. agricultural office;
(c) Projected Export Goals (15)
[sbull] The total dollar value of projected exports
promoted by the applicant for 2003 compared to
[sbull] The applicant's requested funding level;
(d) Accuracy of Past Projections (15)
[sbull] Actual exports for 2001 as reported in the
2003 MAP application compared to
[sbull] Past projections of exports for 2001 as specified in the 2001 MAP
application. The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding levels for each
applicant are converted to percentages of the total MAP funds available then
multiplied by the total weight factor as described above 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, 14th and
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, and
Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation.
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