[Federal Register: March 30, 2007 (Volume 72, Number 61)]
[Notices]
[Page 15582-15583]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30mr07-149]
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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:
ppsadmin@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 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: ppsadmin@fas.usda.gov.
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