SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
I. Funding Opportunity Description
Authority: The Cooperator Program is authorized by title VII
of the Agricultural Trade Act of 1978, as amended. Cooperator Program
regulations appear at 7 CFR part 1484.
Purpose: The Cooperator Program is designed to create,
expand, and maintain foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and
products through cost-share assistance. Financial assistance under the
Cooperator Program will be made available on a competitive basis and
applications will be reviewed against the evaluation criteria contained herein.
All 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 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.
II. Award Information
Under the Cooperator Program, the FAS enters into
agreements with nonprofit U.S. trade
organizations which have the broadest possible
producer representation of the commodity being
promoted and gives priority to those
organizations which are nationwide in membership
and scope. Cooperators may receive assistance
only for the promotion of generic activities
that do not involve promotions targeted directly
to consumers. The program generally operates on
a reimbursement basis.
III. Eligibility
Information
1. Eligible Applicants. To participate in the Cooperator
Program an applicant must be a nonprofit U.S.
agricultural trade organization.
2. Cost Sharing. To participate in the Cooperator Program, an
applicant must agree to contribute resources to
its proposed promotional activities. The
Cooperator Program is intended to
supplement, not supplant, the efforts of the
U.S. private sector. The contribution must be
stated in dollars and be at least 50 percent of
the value of resources provided by CCC for
activities conducted under the project
agreement.
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 the 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 Cooperator
Program regulations, in sections 1484.50 and
1484.51,
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 that
are interested in applying for Cooperator
Program 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 that 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
Unified Export Strategy (UES)
application Internet website. 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 on
(202) 720-4327 to obtain site access
information. The 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.
Applicants who choose to submit applications on diskette can
obtain an application format by contacting the
Marketing Operations Staff on (202) 720-4327.
2. Content and Form of Application Submission. To be
considered for the Cooperator Program, an
applicant must submit to the FAS information
required by the Cooperator Program regulations
in Sec. 1484.20. In addition, in
accordance with the Office of Management and
Budget's issuance of a final policy (68 FR
38402) 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 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 Market Access
Program (MAP), Cochran Fellowships, the Emerging
Markets Program, the Quality Samples Program,
Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops
Program, and several Export Credit Guarantee
programs. Any organization that is not
interested in applying for the Cooperator
Program but would like to request assistance
through one of the other programs mentioned
should contact
the Marketing Operations Staff on (202)
720-4327.
3. Submission Dates and Times. All applications must be
received by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, March
13, 2006. All Cooperator Program applicants,
regardless of the method of submitting an
application, also must submit by the application
deadline, via hand delivery or U.S. mail, an
original signed certification statement as
specified in 7 CFR 1484.20(a)(14). 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 will not reimburse unreasonable
expenditures or expenditures made prior to
approval. Full details are available in the
Cooperator Program regulations in Sec. Sec.
1484.54 and 1484.55.
5. Other Submission Requirements and Considerations. All
Internet-based applications must be properly
submitted by 5 p.m. eastern standard time, March
13, 2006. 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 form of application must be received
by 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, March 13, 2006,
at one of the following addresses:
Hand Delivery (including FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc.): U.S.
Department of Agriculture,
Foreign Agricultural Service, Marketing
Operations Staff, 1250 Maryland Ave., SW., 4th
Floor, Washington, DC 20024.
U.S. Postal Delivery: Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign
Agricultural Service, U.S. Department of
Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave.,
SW., STOP 1042, Washington, DC 20250-1042.
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 Cooperator
Program 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
sections 1484.14 and 1484.20 of the Cooperator
Program regulations. Applications that 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 sections 1484.21 and 1484.22
of the Cooperator Program 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) Contribution Level (40)
The applicant's 6-year average share (2002-2007) of all
contributions (contributions may include cash
and goods and services provided by U.S. entities
in support of foreign market development
activities) compared to
The applicant's 6-year average share (2002-2007) of all
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures.
(b) Past Export Performance (20)
The 6-year average share (2001-2006) of the value of exports
promoted by the applicant compared to The
applicant's 6-year average share (2001-2006) of
all Cooperator marketing plan expenditures plus
a 6-year average share (2000-2005) of MAP
expenditures and a 6-year average share
(2000-2005) of foreign overhead provided for
co-location within a U.S. agricultural trade
office.
(c) Past Demand Expansion Performance (20)
The 6-year average share (2001-2006) of the total value of
world trade of the commodities promoted by the
applicant compared to The applicant's 6-year
average share (2001-2006) of all
Cooperator marketing plan expenditures plus a
6-year average share (2000-2005) of MAP
expenditures and a 6-year average share
(2000-2005) of foreign overhead provided for
co-location within a U.S. agricultural trade
office.
(d) Future Demand Expansion Goals (10)
The projected total dollar value of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for
the year 2012 compared to The applicant's
requested funding level.
(e) Accuracy of Past Demand Expansion
Projections (10)
The actual dollar value share of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for
the year 2005 compared to The applicant's past
projected share of world trade of the
commodities being promoted by the applicant for
the year 2005, as specified in the 2002
Cooperator Program application.
The Commodity Divisions' recommended funding levels for each
applicant are converted to percentages of the
total Cooperator Program funds available then
multiplied by each weight factor to determine
the amount of funds allocated to each applicant.
2. Anticipated Announcement Date. Announcements of funding
decisions for the Cooperator Program are
anticipated during June 2006.
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 project agreement to each approved
applicant. The approval letter and agreement
will specify the terms and conditions applicable
to the project, including the levels of
Cooperator Program funding and cost-share
contribution requirements.
2. Administrative and National Policy Requirements.
Interested parties should review the Cooperator
Program regulations which are available at the
following URL address:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/mos/programs/fmd.html.
Hard copies may be obtained by contacting MOS at
(202) 720-4327.
3. Reporting. The FAS requires various reports and
evaluations from Cooperators. Reporting
requirements are detailed in the Cooperator
Program regulations in Sec. Sec. 1484.53,
1484.70, and 1484.72.
VII. Agency Contact(s)
For additional information and assistance, contact the
Marketing Operations Staff, Foreign Agricultural
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
1400 Independence Ave., SW., STOP 1042,
Washington, DC 20250-1042, phone: (202)
720-4327, fax: (202) 720-9361, e-mail:
mosadmin@fas.usda.gov.
Signed at Washington, DC, on
December 9, 2005.
A. Ellen Terpstra,
Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service,
Vice President, Commodity Credit Corporation.