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Federal Register Notices
[Federal Register: July 16, 2008 (Volume 73, Number 137)]
[Notices]
[Page 40841-40843]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16jy08-42]
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 that it is inviting proposals for the
2009 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
FY 2009 and award funds in October 2008. The
TASC program is administered by personnel of the
Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
DATES: See paragraph IV.4 below for a detailed
description of relevant dates.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Entities
wishing to apply for funding assistance should
contact the Grants Management Branch, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, phone: (202) 720-0866,
fax: (202) 690-0193, e-mail:
emo@fas.usda.gov. 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
CFR 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 address the following criteria:
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
rather than a specific company or brand; and
Projects must address barriers to exports of
commercially-available U.S. specialty crops 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.
Applicants may submit multiple proposals, and applicants with
previously approved TASC proposals may apply for
additional funding. Please see 7 CFR part 1487
for additional restrictions.
FAS will consider providing either grant funds as direct
assistance to U.S. organizations or 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, with a demonstrated role
or interest in exporting U.S. agricultural
commodities 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: FAS considers the applicant's
willingness to contribute resources, including
cash, goods, and services of the U.S. industry
and foreign third parties, when
determining which proposals are approved for
funding.
IV. Application and Submission Information
1. Application through the Unified Export Strategy (UES):
Organizations are encouraged to submit their
applications to FAS through the UES application
Internet Web site. 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 by e-mail
or on compact disc. The application format is
available on the Internet at:
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 (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 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, August 15, 2008, 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, August
15, 2008, 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 expedited evaluation.
FAS will track the time and date of receipt of all proposals.
5. Funding Restrictions: 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, such as the costs of market
research, advertising, or other promotional
expenses. CCC will also 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 August 15, 2008,
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
August 15, 2008, at the following address:
Hand Delivery (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.): U.S.
Department of Agriculture,
Foreign Agricultural Service, Grants Management
Branch, Portals Office Building, Suite 400, 1250
Maryland Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20024.
V. 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 and the Administrator,
FAS. 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 Grants
Management Branch, Foreign Agricultural Service,
U.S. Department of Agriculture,
phone: (202) 720-0866, fax: (202) 690-0193,
e-mail:
emo@fas.usda.gov.
Signed at Washington, DC, on the 2nd of July,
2008.
Michael W. Yost,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service, and
Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. E8-16369 Filed 7-15-08; 8:45 am]
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