(a) Under the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program, the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), an agency and instrumentality of the United States within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides grant funds to eligible organizations to implement activities that are intended to address existing or potential sanitary, phytosanitary, or technical barriers that prohibit or threaten the export of U.S. specialty crops that are currently available on a commercial basis. The TASC program is intended to benefit the represented industry rather than a specific company or brand.
(b) This part sets forth the general terms, conditions, and policies governing CCC's operation of the TASC program.
(c)
(1) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance on Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards in 2 CFR part 200. In 2 CFR 400.1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) adopted OMB's guidance in subparts A through F of 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by 2 CFR part 400, as USDA policies and procedures for uniform administrative requirements, cost principles, and audit requirements for Federal awards.
(2) The OMB guidance at 2 CFR part 200, as supplemented by 2 CFR part 400 and this part, applies to the TASC program.
(3) In addition to the provisions of this part, other regulations that are generally applicable to grants and cooperative agreements of USDA, including the applicable regulations set forth in 2 CFR chapters I, II, and IV, also apply to the TASC program, to the extent that these regulations do not directly conflict with the provisions of this part. The provisions of the CCC Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714 et seq.) and any other statutory provisions or regulatory provisions that are generally applicable to CCC also apply to the TASC program.
(d) The TASC program generally operates on a reimbursement basis. The program is administered by the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), acting on behalf of CCC.