81 FR 42657 - Trade Mission to Central America in Conjunction With the Trade Americas-Business Opportunities in Central America Conference, March 26-31, 2017
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
International Trade Administration Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 126 (June 30, 2016)
International Trade Administration
Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 126 (June 30, 2016)
| Page Range | 42657-42659 | |
| FR Document | 2016-15485 |
[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 126 (Thursday, June 30, 2016)] [Notices] [Pages 42657-42659] From the Federal Register Online [www.thefederalregister.org] [FR Doc No: 2016-15485] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE International Trade Administration Trade Mission to Central America in Conjunction With the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference, March 26-31, 2017 AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration is organizing a trade mission to Central America that will include the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica on March 26-28, 2017. U.S. trade mission participants will arrive in Costa Rica on or before March 26 to attend the opening reception for the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference, which is also open to U.S. companies not participating in the trade mission. Trade mission participants will attend the Conference on March 27. Following the morning session of the conference, trade mission participants will participate in one-on-one consultations with U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) Commercial Officers and/or Department of State Economic/Commercial Officers from the following U.S. Embassies in the region: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua, and Panama. The following day, March 28, trade mission participants will engage in business-to-business appointments with companies in Costa Rica. A limited number of trade mission participants will then have the option to travel to: El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua or Panama (choosing only one market) for optional additional business-to-business appointments based on recommendations from the US&FCS in those markets. Each business to business appointment will be with a pre-screened potential buyer, agent, distributor or joint-venture partner. The Department of Commerce's Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference will focus on regional-specific sessions, market entry strategies, legal, logistics, and trade financing resources as well as pre-arranged one-on-one consultations with US&FCS Commercial Officers and/or Department of State Economic/Commercial Officers with expertise in commercial markets throughout the region. This trade mission is open to U.S. companies from a cross section of industries with growing potential in Central America, but is focused on U.S. companies representing best prospects sectors such as construction equipment/road building machinery, renewable energy, automotive parts and accessories, and safety and security equipment. The combination of the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference and this trade mission, including its business-to-business matchmaking opportunities in Costa Rica and one other optional Central American country, will provide participants with access to substantive information on strategies for entering or expanding their business across the Central America region. Schedule March 26 Travel Day/Arrival to Costa Rica Registration, Market Briefings, and Networking Reception March 27 Costa Rica Morning: Registration and Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference Afternoon: U.S. Embassy Officer Consultations Evening: Ambassador's Networking Reception March 28 Costa Rica Business-to-Business Meetings March 29 Travel Day Optional March 30 Business-to-Business Meetings in (Choice of one market): Option (A) Honduras Option (B) Guatemala Option (C) El Salvador Option (D) Belize Option (E) Nicaragua Option (F) Panama March 31 Return to the U.S. Web site: Please visit our official mission Web site for more information: http://export.gov/trademissions/eg_main_023185.asp. [[Page 42658]] Participation Requirements All parties interested in participating in the U.S. Department of Commerce Trade Mission to Central America must complete and submit an application package for consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. A minimum of 30 companies and/or trade associations will be selected to participate in the mission from the applicant pool on a first-come, first-served basis. The total number of U.S. companies that may be selected for each country will be limited as follows: 30 companies for Costa Rica, 10 companies for Guatemala, 10 companies for El Salvador; 4 companies for Belize; 12 companies for Honduras; 10 companies for Nicaragua; and 15 companies for Panama. Additional participants may be accepted based on available space. U.S. companies and/or trade associations already doing business in or seeking business in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama for the first time may apply. Fees and Expenses After a company has been selected to participate in the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a participation fee is required.For business-to-business meetings in Costa Rica only (not traveling to an additional trade mission country), the participation fee will be $2,100 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)* and $3,300 for a large firm.* For business-to-business meetings in Costa Rica and one other market, i.e. El Salvador OR Honduras OR Guatemala OR Belize OR Nicaragua, OR Panama, the participation fee will be $3,100 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)* and $4,300 for a large firm.* * An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations. Parent companies, affiliates, and subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size (See https://www.sba.gov/content/what-are-small-business-size-standards). The above trade mission fees include the $450 participation fee for the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in Central America Conference to be held in San Jose, Costa Rica on March 26-28, 2017. An additional representative for both SMEs and large firms will require an additional fee of $450. Application All interested firms and associations may register via the following link: https://emenuapps.ita.doc.gov/ePublic/TM/7R0M. Exclusions The mission fee does not include any personal travel expenses such as lodging, most meals, local ground transportation (except for transportation to and from meetings, and airport transfers during the mission), and air transportation. Participants will, however, be able to take advantage of U.S. Government rates for hotel rooms. Electronic visas are required to participate on the mission, which are easily obtainable online. Applying for and obtaining such visas will be the responsibility of the mission participant. Government fees and processing expenses to obtain such visas are not included in the participation fee. However, the Department of Commerce will provide instructions to each participant on the procedures required to obtain necessary business visas. Timeline for Recruitment and Applications Mission recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar (http://export.gov/trademissions) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to the general and trade media, direct mail, broadcast fax, notices by industry trade associations, and other multiplier groups and announcements at industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows. Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no later than January 31, 2017. The U.S. Department of Commerce will review applications and make selection decisions on a rolling basis beginning 14 days after publication of this Federal Register notice, until the minimum of 30 participants is selected. After January 31, 2017, applications will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit. Conditions for Participation An applicant must submit a completed and signed mission application and supplemental application materials, including adequate information on the company's products and/or services, primary market objectives, and goals for participation. Applicant should specify in their application and supplemental materials which trade mission stops they are interested in participating in. If the Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, the Department may reject the application, request additional information, or take the lack of information into account when evaluating the applications. Each applicant must also certify that the products and services it seeks to export through the mission are either produced in the U.S., or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51% U.S. content of the value of the finished product or service. In the case of a trade association or trade organization, the applicant must certify that, for each company to be represented by the trade association or trade organization, the products and services the represented company seeks to export are either produced in the United States, or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least 51% U.S. content. The following criteria will be evaluated in selecting participants: Suitability of a firm's or service provider's (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm or service provider's) products or services to these markets. Firm's or service provider's (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm or service provider's) potential for business in the markets, including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission. Consistency of the firm's or service provider's (or in the case of a trade association/organization, represented firm or service provider's) goals and objectives with the stated scope of the mission. Diversity of company size, sector or subsector, and location may also be considered during the review process. Referrals from political organizations and any documents containing references to partisan political activities (including political contributions) will be removed from an applicant's submission and not considered during the selection process. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Gordon, International Trade Specialist, U.S. Export Assistance Center--Jackson, MS, [email protected], Tel: 601-373-0784. Diego Gattesco, Director, U.S. Export Assistance Center--Wheeling, WV, [email protected], Tel: 304-243-5493. Aileen Nandi, Regional Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service--El Salvador, [email protected]. [[Page 42659]] Abby Daniell, Commercial Director, U.S. Commercial Service--Costa Rica, [email protected]. Frank Spector, Trade Missions Program. [FR Doc. 2016-15485 Filed 6-29-16; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P
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Exclusions Vietnam pre-screened potential buyer, agent,
The mission fee does not include any Stuart Schaag, Senior Commercial distributor or joint-venture partner.
personal travel expenses such as Officer, U.S. Department of Commerce, The Department of Commerce’s Trade
lodging, most meals, local ground U.S. Commercial Service, U.S. Americas—Business Opportunities in
transportation (except for transportation Consulate Embassy Hanoi, Tel: 84–4– Central America Conference will focus
to and from meetings, and airport 3850–5199, Email: Stuart.Schaag@ on regional-specific sessions, market
transfers during the mission), and air trade.gov. entry strategies, legal, logistics, and
transportation. Participants will, trade financing resources as well as pre-
Frank Spector, arranged one-on-one consultations with
however, be able to take advantage of
Trade Mission Programs. US&FCS Commercial Officers and/or
U.S. Government rates for hotel rooms.
Business or entry visas may be required [FR Doc. 2016–15484 Filed 6–29–16; 8:45 am] Department of State Economic/
to participate on the mission. Applying BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P Commercial Officers with expertise in
for and obtaining such visas will be the commercial markets throughout the
responsibility of the mission region.
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE This trade mission is open to U.S.
participant. Government fees and
processing expenses to obtain such visas companies from a cross section of
International Trade Administration
are not included in the participation fee. industries with growing potential in
However, the Department of Commerce Trade Mission to Central America in Central America, but is focused on U.S.
will provide instructions to each Conjunction With the Trade companies representing best prospects
participant on the procedures required Americas—Business Opportunities in sectors such as construction equipment/
to obtain necessary business visas. Central America Conference, March road building machinery, renewable
26–31, 2017 energy, automotive parts and
Timeframe for Recruitment and accessories, and safety and security
Application AGENCY: International Trade equipment.
Mission recruitment will be Administration, Department of The combination of the Trade
conducted in an open and public Commerce. Americas—Business Opportunities in
manner, including publication in the ACTION: Notice. Central America Conference and this
Federal Register, posting on the SUMMARY: The United States Department trade mission, including its business-to-
Commerce Department trade mission of Commerce, International Trade business matchmaking opportunities in
calendar (http://www.export.gov/ Administration is organizing a trade Costa Rica and one other optional
trademissions/) and other Internet Web mission to Central America that will Central American country, will provide
sites, press releases to general and trade include the Trade Americas—Business participants with access to substantive
media, direct mail, broadcast fax, Opportunities in Central America information on strategies for entering or
notices by industry trade associations Conference in San Jose, Costa Rica on expanding their business across the
and other multiplier groups, and March 26–28, 2017. Central America region.
publicity at industry meetings, U.S. trade mission participants will Schedule
symposia, conferences, and trade shows. arrive in Costa Rica on or before March
Recruitment for this mission will 26 to attend the opening reception for March 26 Travel Day/Arrival to Costa
begin immediately and conclude no the Trade Americas—Business Rica
later than January 8, 2017. The U.S. Opportunities in Central America Registration, Market Briefings, and
Department of Commerce will review Conference, which is also open to U.S. Networking Reception
applications and make selection companies not participating in the trade March 27 Costa Rica
decisions on rolling basis. Applications mission. Trade mission participants will Morning: Registration and Trade
received after January 8, 2017 will be attend the Conference on March 27. Americas—Business Opportunities
considered only if space and scheduling Following the morning session of the in Central America Conference
constraints permit. conference, trade mission participants Afternoon: U.S. Embassy Officer
Contact Information will participate in one-on-one Consultations
consultations with U.S. and Foreign Evening: Ambassador’s Networking
U.S. Contact Commercial Service (US&FCS) Reception
Ashish Vaid, International Trade Commercial Officers and/or Department March 28 Costa Rica
Specialist, US & Foreign Commercial of State Economic/Commercial Officers Business-to-Business Meetings
Service, 290 Broadway, Suite 1312, New from the following U.S. Embassies in March 29 Travel Day
York, NY 10007, t: 646–385–4503, the region: Costa Rica, El Salvador,
ashish.vaid@trade.gov. Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Optional
Dylan Daniels, International Trade Nicaragua, and Panama. The following March 30 Business-to-Business
Specialist, US & Foreign Commercial day, March 28, trade mission Meetings in (Choice of one market):
Service, 22 N. Front St., Suite 200, participants will engage in business-to- Option (A) Honduras
Memphis, TN 38103, t: 901–544–0930, business appointments with companies
Option (B) Guatemala
dylan.daniels@trade.gov. in Costa Rica. A limited number of trade
Option (C) El Salvador
mission participants will then have the
Singapore option to travel to: El Salvador, Option (D) Belize
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Swee Hoon Chia, Senior Commercial Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, Nicaragua Option (E) Nicaragua
Specialist, U.S. Department of or Panama (choosing only one market) Option (F) Panama
Commerce, U.S. Commercial Service, for optional additional business-to- March 31 Return to the U.S.
U.S. Embassy Singapore, Tel: +65 6476– business appointments based on Web site: Please visit our official
9037, Direct: +65 6476–9403, Fax: + 65 recommendations from the US&FCS in mission Web site for more information:
6476–9080, Email: sweehoon.chia@ those markets. Each business to http://export.gov/trademissions/eg_
trade.gov. business appointment will be with a main_023185.asp.
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Abby Daniell, Commercial Director, and eligibility questions and other Webinar Information Session: NIST/
U.S. Commercial Service—Costa Rica, programmatic questions should be MEP will hold one or more webinar
Abby.Daniell@trade.gov. directed to Diane Henderson at Tel: information sessions for organizations
(301) 975–5105; Email: mepffo@nist.gov; that are considering applying to this
Frank Spector,
Fax: (301) 963–6556. Grants Rules and opportunity. These webinars will
Trade Missions Program. Regulation questions should be provide general information regarding
[FR Doc. 2016–15485 Filed 6–29–16; 8:45 am] addressed to: Matthew Jones, Grants MEP and offer general guidance on
BILLING CODE 3510–DR–P Management Division, National Institute preparing proposals. NIST/MEP staff
of Standards and Technology, 100 will be available on the webinars to
Bureau Drive, Stop 1650, Gaithersburg, answer general questions. During the
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MD 20899–1650; Tel: (301) 975–3698; webinars, proprietary technical
National Institute of Standards and Email: matthew.jones@nist.gov; Fax: discussions about specific project ideas
(301) 975–6368. For technical assistance will not be permitted. Also, NIST/MEP
Technology
with Grants.gov submissions contact staff will not critique or provide
[Docket Number: 160603485–6485–01] Christopher Hunton at Tel: (301) 975– feedback on any specific project ideas
5718; Email: grants@nist.gov; Fax: (301) during the webinars or at any time
Award Competitions for Hollings 975–8884. Questions submitted to before submission of a proposal to MEP.
Manufacturing Extension Partnership NIST/MEP may be posted as part of an However, NIST/MEP staff will provide
(MEP) Centers in the States of FAQ document, which will be information about the MEP eligibility
Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, periodically updated on the MEP Web and cost sharing requirements,
Mississippi, New Mexico, Nevada, site at http://nist.gov/mep/ffo-state- evaluation criteria and selection factors,
North Dakota, South Carolina and competitions-04.cfm. selection process, and the general
Wyoming characteristics of a competitive MEP
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards Electronic access: Applicants are proposal during this webinar, and by
and Technology (NIST), United States strongly encouraged to read the phone and email. The webinars will be
Department of Commerce (DoC). corresponding FFO announcement held approximately fifteen (15) to thirty
available at www.grants.gov for (30) business days after posting of the
ACTION: Notice of funding availability.
complete information about this corresponding FFO. The exact dates and
SUMMARY: NIST invites applications program, including all program times of the webinars will be posted on
from eligible organizations in requirements and instructions for the MEP Web site at http://nist.gov/
connection with NIST’s funding up to applying electronically. Paper mep/ffo-state-competitions-04.cfm. The
eleven (11) separate MEP cooperative applications or electronic applications webinars will be recorded, and a link to
agreements for the operation of MEP submitted other than through the recordings will be posted on the
Centers in the designated States’ service www.grants.gov will not be accepted. MEP Web site. In addition, the webinar
areas and in the funding amounts The FFO may be found by searching presentations will be available on the
identified in the Funding Availability under the Catalog of Federal Domestic MEP Web site. Organizations wishing to
section of this notice. NIST anticipates Assistance Name and Number provided participate in one or more webinar(s)
awarding one (1) cooperative agreement below. must sign up by emailing mepffo@
for each of the identified States. The System Award Management nist.gov. Participation in the webinars is
objective of this announcement by the registration required: When developing not required in order for an organization
MEP Program is to provide your submission timeline, please keep to submit an application pursuant to
manufacturing extension services to in mind that (1) all applicants are this notice and the corresponding FFO.
primarily small and medium-sized required to have a current registration in Program Description: NIST invites
manufacturers within the States the System for Award Management applications from eligible organizations
designated in the Funding Availability (SAM.gov); (2) the free annual in connection with NIST’s funding up to
section of this notice. The selected registration process in the electronic eleven (11) separate cooperative
organizations will become part of the System for Award Management agreements for the operation of MEP
MEP national system of extension Centers in the designated States’ service
(SAM.gov) may take between three and
service providers, currently located areas and in the funding amounts
five business days, or as long as more
throughout the United States and Puerto identified in Section II.2. of the
than two weeks; (3) applicants
Rico. corresponding FFO. NIST anticipates
submitting electronic applications are
awarding one (1) cooperative agreement
DATES: Electronic applications must be required to have a current registration in
for each of the identified States. The
received no later than 11:59 p.m. Grants.gov; and (4) applicants will
objective of this announcement by the
Eastern Time on Tuesday, September receive a series of email messages from
MEP Program is to provide
27, 2016. Paper applications will not be Grants.gov over a period of up to two
manufacturing extension services to
accepted. Applications received after business days before learning whether a
primarily small and medium-sized
the deadline will not be reviewed or Federal agency’s electronic system has manufacturers within the States
considered. The approximate start date received its application. Please note that designated in the Funding Availability
for awards under this notice and the a Federal assistance award cannot be section of this notice. The selected
corresponding FFO is expected to be issued if the designated recipient’s organizations will become part of the
April 1, 2017. registration in the SAM.gov is not
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MEP national system of extension
ADDRESSES: Applications must be current at the time of the award. service providers, located throughout
submitted electronically through Authority: 15 U.S.C. 278k, as the United States and Puerto Rico.
www.grants.gov. NIST will not accept implemented in 15 CFR part 290. The MEP program is not a Federal
applications submitted by mail, Catalog of Federal Domestic research and development program. It is
facsimile, or by email. Assistance Name and Number: not the intent of the program that
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Manufacturing Extension Partnership— awardees will perform systematic
Administrative, budget, cost-sharing, 11.611. research.
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Document Created: 2018-02-08 07:45:11
Document Modified: 2018-02-08 07:45:11
| Category | Regulatory Information | |
| Collection | Federal Register | |
| sudoc Class | AE 2.7: GS 4.107: AE 2.106: | |
| Publisher | Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Administration | |
| Section | Notices | |
| Action | Notice. | |
| Contact | Jessica Gordon, International Trade Specialist, U.S. Export Assistance Center--Jackson, MS, [email protected], Tel: 601-373-0784. | |
| FR Citation | 81 FR 42657 |
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