Opportunity Information: Apply for TASC2014
Apply for TASC2014
- The Foreign Agricultural Service in the agriculture sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Inviting Applications for the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 10.604 Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on May 6, 2013 and posted on May 6, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 28, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $9,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 30 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Eligible Applicants Any U.S. 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number TASC2014) is a competitive funding program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). Its main purpose is to help U.S. organizations fund practical projects that reduce or overcome sanitary, phytosanitary (SPS), or closely related technical barriers that are blocking, delaying, or putting at risk the export of U.S. specialty crops. In plain terms, the program is meant to pay for targeted technical work that makes it easier for U.S. specialty crop exporters to meet foreign government import requirements or to resolve disputes where those requirements are keeping U.S. products out of a market.
For this program, "specialty crops" are defined broadly as cultivated plants (and products made from them) grown in the United States, with specific exceptions. The excluded commodities are wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, and tobacco. Everything else that fits the cultivated-plant concept can fall under the specialty crop umbrella, which is important because it clarifies what products the funded projects are allowed to support and what products are outside the program's scope.
The opportunity is structured as a grant (Funding Instrument Type: Grant) under the agriculture funding activity category, and it is listed under CFDA 10.604 (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program). The notice projected about 30 awards, with an estimated total program funding amount of $9,000,000. Individual awards could be as high as $500,000 (award ceiling), and the posted award floor is listed as $0, which generally signals that smaller proposals may be considered depending on program priorities and the quality of the application. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award, although applicants can still choose to leverage other resources if it strengthens the proposal.
Eligibility is fairly broad as long as the applicant is a U.S. organization with a demonstrated role or clear interest in exporting U.S. agricultural commodities. Eligible applicants can include government entities at the federal, state, or local level, as well as private organizations such as nonprofit trade associations, universities, agricultural cooperatives, state regional trade groups, and private companies. A key limitation is that foreign organizations cannot be the direct recipients of TASC funds. However, foreign governmental or private entities may participate as third parties in activities carried out by an eligible U.S. organization, which allows projects to involve overseas partners or stakeholders when that is necessary to resolve market access issues, conduct technical engagement, or implement activities in the importing country.
Timing details in the announcement show it was posted on May 6, 2013, with an application closing date of May 28, 2013 (original and current closing dates match). The archive date is May 29, 2013, indicating the opportunity was time-limited and then moved to an archived status after the closing date. While those dates relate to this specific announcement cycle, they also give a sense of the program's cadence: short submission windows are common for annual or periodic grant solicitations, so applicants typically need to be prepared with a well-developed project concept and supporting documentation quickly.
The program is explicitly focused on SPS and related technical barriers, which commonly include issues such as pest and disease concerns, residue limits, quarantine requirements, inspection and certification procedures, laboratory testing requirements, and other regulatory or technical conditions imposed by importing countries. Projects supported by TASC are generally expected to be problem-solving in nature, with activities that directly contribute to opening, maintaining, or expanding export market access for U.S. specialty crops. Because the goal is to address barriers that "prohibit or threaten" exports, strong applications typically align the proposed technical work with a clearly defined trade obstacle and explain how the work will result in measurable progress toward resolving that obstacle.
For applicants needing help accessing the full announcement, the listed contact is Elaine Protzman, Program Analyst, reachable by phone at 202-720-5588.
Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program (TASC2014) FAQs
1) What is the TASC Program grant opportunity?
The Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program (Funding Opportunity Number TASC2014) is a competitive grant program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). It funds practical, targeted projects that help reduce or overcome sanitary, phytosanitary (SPS), or closely related technical barriers that are blocking, delaying, or putting at risk exports of U.S. specialty crops.
2) What is the main purpose of this funding?
The purpose is to pay for technical work that makes it easier for U.S. specialty crop exporters to meet foreign import requirements or to resolve disputes where those requirements are keeping U.S. products out of a market. The program focuses on barriers that prohibit or threaten exports.
3) Who runs the TASC Program?
The program is administered by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).
4) Is this a competitive grant?
Yes. The TASC2014 opportunity is described as a competitive funding program.
5) What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding instrument type is a Grant.
6) What is the CFDA number for this program?
The program is listed under CFDA 10.604 (Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program).
7) What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category is Agriculture.
8) How many awards were expected under this announcement?
The notice projected approximately 30 awards.
9) What was the estimated total funding available?
The estimated total program funding amount was $9,000,000.
10) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was listed as $500,000.
11) What is the minimum award amount (award floor)?
The posted award floor was $0, which generally indicates smaller proposals may be considered depending on program priorities and application quality.
12) Is there a cost-sharing or matching requirement?
No. The opportunity states there is no cost sharing or matching requirement, meaning applicants are not required to contribute non-federal funds as a condition of receiving an award.
13) What kinds of projects does TASC fund?
TASC supports problem-solving projects that address SPS or closely related technical barriers affecting exports of U.S. specialty crops. Projects are generally expected to directly contribute to opening, maintaining, or expanding export market access.
14) What are examples of SPS or technical barriers this program targets?
The opportunity notes common SPS and related technical barriers such as pest and disease concerns, residue limits, quarantine requirements, inspection and certification procedures, laboratory testing requirements, and other regulatory or technical conditions imposed by importing countries.
15) What does "specialty crops" mean for this program?
For TASC, "specialty crops" are defined broadly as cultivated plants (and products made from them) grown in the United States, with specific commodity exclusions.
16) Which commodities are excluded from the definition of specialty crops under this opportunity?
The excluded commodities are wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar, and tobacco.
17) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad as long as the applicant is a U.S. organization with a demonstrated role or clear interest in exporting U.S. agricultural commodities. Eligible applicants include federal, state, and local government entities and private organizations such as nonprofit trade associations, universities, agricultural cooperatives, state regional trade groups, and private companies.
18) Can a foreign organization apply directly for TASC funds?
No. A key limitation is that foreign organizations cannot be the direct recipients of TASC funds.
19) Can foreign partners participate in a TASC project?
Yes. Foreign governmental or private entities may participate as third parties in activities carried out by an eligible U.S. organization. This allows projects to involve overseas partners or stakeholders when needed to resolve market access issues, conduct technical engagement, or implement activities in the importing country.
20) What makes a strong application based on the program description?
The opportunity emphasizes that strong applications typically align the proposed technical work with a clearly defined trade obstacle and explain how the work will result in measurable progress toward resolving that obstacle.
21) When was this opportunity posted?
The announcement was posted on May 6, 2013.
22) What was the application deadline?
The application closing date was May 28, 2013 (the original and current closing dates matched).
23) Is this opportunity currently open?
The archive date was May 29, 2013, which indicates the opportunity was time-limited for that cycle and moved to archived status after the closing date.
24) What does the archive date indicate?
The archive date (May 29, 2013) indicates that this specific announcement cycle was no longer active after the deadline and was subsequently archived.
25) How quickly did applicants need to prepare submissions for this cycle?
Based on the posted date (May 6, 2013) and closing date (May 28, 2013), this cycle had a short submission window, suggesting applicants needed a well-developed concept and supporting materials ready quickly.
26) What is the best point of contact for questions or accessing the full announcement?
The listed contact is Elaine Protzman, Program Analyst. Phone: 202-720-5588.
27) What is the practical goal of TASC-funded technical work?
The practical goal is to reduce or overcome foreign SPS and related technical barriers so that exports of U.S. specialty crops are not blocked, delayed, or placed at risk, thereby improving market access outcomes for U.S. exporters.
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