Firms participate in the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program in accordance with the following:

Firms apply for certification through a TAAC by completing a petition for certification. The TAAC will assist Firms in completing such petitions (at no cost to the Firms);

Firms certified in accordance with the procedures described in §§ 315.7 and 315.8 must prepare an Adjustment Proposal for Adjustment Assistance from the TAAC (‘Adjustment Proposal’) and submit it to EDA for approval; and

EDA determines whether the Adjustment Assistance requested in the Adjustment Proposal is eligible based upon the evaluation criteria set forth in subpart D of this part. A Certified Firm may submit a request to the TAAC for Adjustment Assistance to implement an approved Adjustment Proposal.

For certification, EDA evaluates Firms' petitions strictly on the basis of fulfillment of the requirements set forth in § 315.7.

(1) Certified Firms generally receive Adjustment Assistance over a two-year period.

The matching share requirements are as follows:

Each Certified Firm must pay at least 25 percent of the cost of preparing its Adjustment Proposal. Each Certified Firm requesting $30,000 or less in total Adjustment Assistance in its approved Adjustment Proposal must pay at least 25 percent of the cost of that Adjustment Assistance. Each Certified Firm requesting more than $30,000 in total Adjustment Assistance in its approved Adjustment Proposal must pay at least 50 percent of the cost of that Adjustment Assistance.

Organizations representing trade-injured industries must pay at least 50 percent of the total cash cost of the Adjustment Assistance, in addition to appropriate in-kind contributions.