[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 130 (Wednesday, July 8, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 36872-36873]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-18000]
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Notices
Federal Register
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This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
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Federal Register / Vol. 63, No. 130 / Wednesday, July 8, 1998 /
Notices
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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Foreign Agricultural Service
Foreign Currencies Available for the Development of Foreign
Markets
AGENCY: Foreign Agricultural Service, USDA.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Foreign Agricultural Service (``FAS'') invites proposals
from interested parties to use Tunisian or Moroccan currencies acquired
by the United States government for market development projects and
technical assistance activities in those countries. These currencies
were acquired pursuant to agreements under title I of the Agricultural
Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954, (P.L. 480).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Evans Browne, Program Development Division, Export Credits, Foreign
Agricultural Service, Room 4506, South Building, Stop 1034, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, D.C.
20250-1034. Telephone: (202) 720-4228.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Title I, P.L. 480 authorizes the United
States to finance the sale and exportation of agricultural commodities
to foreign governments on concessional terms. Between 1986 and 1991,
the United States entered into various title I, P.L. 480 agreements
with foreign governments, including Tunisia and Morocco, on terms which
required repayment to the United States in local currencies. These
agreements were commonly referred to as constituting the ``section 108
program.'' Most of the foreign currency received under the section 108
program was loaned by the United States to financial institutions in
the host country which would, in turn, loan the funds to local
businesses in order to foster economic development. After the local
financial institutions repaid the United States, the funds could be
made available for the development of markets for United States
agricultural commodities. In addition, other local currency repaid to
the United States could be used for agricultural technical assistance
to foster and encourage the development of private enterprise
institutions and infrastructure as the base for the production of food
and related goods and services. Currently, Tunisian and Moroccan local
currencies acquired under the section 108 program are available for the
development of markets for United States agricultural commodities and
for agricultural technical assistance activities.
Application Process
Responsibility for administering Departmental programs concerned
with developing foreign markets for United States agricultural
commodities and technical cooperation has been delegated to FAS.
Parties interested in using Tunisian or Moroccan currency to develop
markets for agricultural commodities, or to undertake technical
assistance activities, in those countries should submit a proposal to:
Evans Browne, Program Development Division, Export Credits, Foreign
Agricultural Service, Room 4506, South Building, Stop 1034, U.S.
Department of Agriculture, 1400 Independence Ave., SW., Washington,
D.C. 20250-1034. Telephone: (202) 720-4228. Interested parties must
submit Standard Form 424 (SF-424) in conjunction with their proposal.
This form is available from the above address. FAS will review all
proposals in accordance with the standards in this notice. Those
organizations which requested section 108 funding as part of their 1998
Unified Export Strategy (UES) application should review this notice to
determine if all information requested herein has been furnished. If
so, such organizations need not re-apply in response to this
announcement. FAS will accept additional and supplemental information
supporting proposals already submitted in the UES application.
Proposals should outline, to the extent applicable, the following
points:
A description of the project to develop or expand a
commercial market for a U.S. agricultural commodity or product, or a
description of the technical assistance activity;
An indication of funding sources and amounts to be
contributed by the applicant to implement the project or technical
assistance activity in addition to the local currency provided by FAS.
This may include amounts contributed by private industry entities or
host governments. Contributed resources may include cash, goods, and
services;
The average value of U.S. exports of the commodity or
product promoted by the applicant for the years 1995-97;
The average total value of world trade of the commodity or
product promoted by the applicant during the years 1995-97;
The total dollar value of projected U.S. exports of the
commodity or product promoted by the applicant during 1998;
A results-oriented means of measuring the success of the
project or technical assistance activity and a plan for reporting
progress to FAS. For example, the proposals should identify the
constraints or barriers to trade faced by a particular product in a
particular market; describe the strategy and activity(ies) that will be
implemented to overcome such impediments; and finally, identify the
goals and performance indicators which will be used to measure the
effectiveness of the strategy and activities in achieving those goals;
The administrative capabilities of the participant to
implement the project or technical assistance activity;
Proposals for technical assistance activities should also
describe how the technical assistance will enhance the local market's
food and rural business systems, and impact on transformation of the
host country's economy to a free market system.
Review Process
FAS will review the proposals to identify projects that could
contribute to the effective creation, expansion, or maintenance of
foreign markets for U.S. agricultural commodities and products. When
reviewing proposals to undertake generic activities, FAS will give
priority to organizations that are industry-wide or nationwide in
membership and scope. For such activities, U.S. agricultural trade
associations will be used to the maximum extent possible. Recipients
must demonstrate an ability to provide U.S.-based staff capable of
developing, supervising, and carrying out projects overseas, and be
willing
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and able to contribute resources to a joint project. FAS will also
consider the likelihood of these activities influencing conditions
affecting the level of U.S. exports; the size, in both budget and
scope, of the proposed project; and, the likelihood of the market
becoming a commercial market for U.S. agricultural commodities and
products. FAS considers evaluation critical to the success of a market
development project. In determining whether to approve a market
development or technical assistance project, FAS will place great
emphasis on the performance measures in the proposal and upon the plan
for reporting progress to FAS.
Upon approval of a proposal, FAS will enter into an agreement with
the entity submitting the proposal pursuant to which FAS will provide
local currencies for carrying out the market development or technical
assistance project. Agreements will incorporate, by reference, the
proposal as approved by FAS.
General administrative requirements for implementation of any
resultant agreement with non-profit institutions are found at 7 CFR
part 3019, ``Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and
Cooperative Agreements with Institutions of Higher Education,
Hospitals, and other Non-profit Organizations'' except as may be
necessitated by the use of foreign currencies or host country laws.
Interested parties should familiarize themselves with these
regulations.
FAS may announce in the future the availability of other local
currencies in other countries for market development and technical
assistance.
Signed at Washington D.C. on June 26, 1998.
Timothy J. Galvin,
Acting Administrator, Foreign Agricultural Service and Vice President,
Commodity Credit Corporation.
[FR Doc. 98-18000 Filed 7-7-98; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-10-M
