USDA Still Accepting 2012 Applications for TASC and QSP

WASHINGTON, May 17, 2012 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announced today that it continues to accept fiscal year 2012 applications for two export market development programs: the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) Program and the Quality Samples Program (QSP).

All proposals received by June 22, will be reviewed concurrently by FAS. Proposals received after that date will be reviewed if funds remain. New proposals will be accepted until FY 2012 funds are exhausted.

TASC provides funding to U.S. organizations for projects that address sanitary, phytosanitary, and technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops. Specialty crops include all cultivated plants and their products produced in the United States, with the exception of wheat, feed grains, oilseeds, cotton, rice, peanuts, sugar and tobacco.

QSP helps U.S. agricultural trade organizations provide samples of their agricultural products to potential importers by funding product purchases and shipping.

Applicants are encouraged to apply via the Unified Export Strategy online application system. Information is available at www.fas.usda.gov/mos/ues/Unified.asp. Applications can also be emailed to podadmin@fas.usda.gov or hand-delivered to: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Office of Trade Programs, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 6512-S, Washington, D.C. 20250.

Questions about TASC or QSP should be directed to the FAS Program Operations Division at (202) 720-4327 or podadmin@fas.usda.gov.

Applicants must have a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number for federal assistance, which can be obtained at fedgov.dnb.com/webform or by calling (866) 705-5711.
Additional information about TASC and QSP is available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/programs/.

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