Further information on ACACA
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Who can apply for an ACACA visit?
Farmers, agri-businesses, industry groups, rural and regional associations and educational and research and academic institutions, statutory authorities and state governments are invited to apply to have a delegation funded by the program. The applicant’s organisation must be Australian-based and all delegation members must be Australian citizens.Applying for ACACA
Every 18 months the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) invites applications for the upcoming funding round. The call for applications is advertised on the department’s website and through national newspapers. The next ACACA round is expected to open in the second half of 2011.
Achieving value
Given the program's focus on commercial benefits to Australian industry, applications are required to demonstrate strong potential to establish lasting commercial links between Australia and China.Applicants are also required to demonstrate a commitment to sharing the benefits of their visit to other members of their industry upon their return to Australia, along with their proposed method for disseminating these benefits. For example, the details of potential Chinese business partners should be willingly shared. Such methods may also include seminars and publications.
Application selection process
- Six Australian proposals for visits to China are selected every 18 months. The selection process involves DAFF and the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture or China’s State Forestry Administration. Five agriculture or fisheries related missions and one forestry-related mission are selected. China also proposes six projects that involve delegation visits to Australia.
- On recommendation from the department and following endorsement from the Chinese Government, the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry makes the final decision on successful applications.
- Previous successful applicants are welcome to apply again in this and subsequent funding rounds.
- The assessment process can take up to six months to complete. The assessment process is a graduated process involves input from multiple areas of DAFF, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade and the Chinese Government.
Notification of application decision
All applicants will be advised in writing of the outcomes of the application round. Unsuccessful applicants are welcome to contact the ACACA Program Administrator for feedback.For successful applications, the names of delegation members, their state or territory, the project name and project objectives may be published on the department’s website.
Delegation members
- Delegations should comprise four people. All delegates must be Australian citizens.
- Delegations composed of members from a cross-section of the industry will be assessed more highly.
- The Chinese Government will provide an interpreter to accompany the delegation.
Itinerary and travel arrangements
DAFF organises travel in consultation with the relevant Chinese agency. Flights within Australia to connect to international flights to China are Economy Class. International travel to China is in Business Class. Flights within China will be in Economy Class. Wherever possible, flights will be direct to China with no stop-overs.In the 2010-11 ACACA round, all delegation visits to China must occur between 1 July 2010 and 31 December 2011.
- Delegations may visit China for a maximum of 14 days, including travel time.
- The relevant Chinese agency is responsible for the final itinerary of each delegation.
- The ACACA program administrator will work closely with you and the relevant Chinese agency to arrange suitable dates and develop an itinerary.
- Applicants are welcome to propose travel dates and an itinerary in their application.
- All members of the delegation must enter, travel within and depart China as a group.
- Delegations may arrive in and depart from only major international Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou).
- Delegations cannot include Hong Kong or Macau in their itineraries. - Up to three Chinese provinces can be included in the itinerary.
- Where possible, your itinerary will include meetings with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Agriculture Counsellors based in Beijing and with Austrade officials in one of their branch locations in China.
- Delegates are not permitted to be accompanied by another person, even if independently supported and funded.
Expenses funded under ACACA
You will be guests of the Chinese Government, which will meet your costs for accommodation, meals, ground transport and internal airfares. Expenses funded under ACACA:- International airfares
- Australian domestic fares (as required)
- Domestic travel in China
- Meals
- Accommodation
- Interpreter services
- Single entry visa into China
- Small daily allowance (at the Government allowance rate) for discretional items (eg. tips, newspapers, personal items), paid upon receipt of the final report
- Gifts (capped at A$500 total per delegation)
Expenses NOT funded under ACACA:
- Passports
- Conference fees
- Personal telephone calls
- Internet charges
- Commissions/charges associated with processing traveller’s cheques
- Medical/dental costs (including vaccinations)
- Laundry costs
- Travel insurance
- Excess luggage charges
Please note that these lists are not comprehensive. If you have any questions regarding what expenses are covered, please speak to the ACACA Program Administrator.
Please note also that DAFF will withhold reimbursement for discretionary costs incurred in China for incidental expenses until receipt of a final project report that satisfies reporting requirements (see reporting requirements below).
Gifts
China has a gift giving culture, therefore it may be appropriate to give gifts to important hosts and accompanying officers while in China.The delegation leader is responsible for the type of gifts and selection of recipients. Gifts must be purchased in Australia, and tax invoices showing the supplier’s ABN should be presented for reimbursement following the visit. For gift giving suggestions and details of the Chinese gift giving protocol, please speak to the ACACA Program Administrator.
Total expenditure on gifts should not exceed A$500 in total per delegation. The cost of any individual gift should not exceed approximately A$50.
Requirements following delegation visit
The team should provide acquittal of authorised expenditure to DAFF within 28 days of its return. Acquittal documents include:
- used tickets
- boarding passes for domestic travel within Australia and for international travel, and
- receipts for any other reimbursable expenditure.
Reporting requirements
Project teams are required to provide DAFF with a written report on their activities in China. The report should include such headings as:- mission objectives
- itinerary
- the names and titles of significant attendees at meetings
- a description of what the visit achieved (or otherwise)
- problems encountered
- recommended improvements
- follow-ups to ensure continued benefits from missions
- identification of possible commercial spin-off from the mission, and
- facilitation of flow-on effects of the mission to broader industries in Australia.
You should send an executive summary of the report to DAFF within 28 days of the delegation’s return to Australia. The final report is to be sent within two months.
Intellectual property
Subject to any contrary agreement in writing between the parties, any intellectual property rights and title to, or in relation to, the project team’s report shall vest upon its creation in the Commonwealth. This provision enables the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry to use non commercial-in-confidence information from the executive summary and final report for its own purposes, including promotion of the ACACA program.Reciprocal visits from China
The ACACA Program Administrator may contact you in the event that a reciprocal visit from China is being arranged. Although it is not a mandatory requirement, in the interest of building on the bilateral relationship, any assistance you could provide would be greatly appreciated.
Last reviewed: 09 Nov 2009
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