[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 154 (Thursday, August 11, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 46814-46816]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-4347]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Secretarial Business Development Mission to Guatemala, El 
Salvador and Honduras

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice to announce Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez 
business development mission to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, 
October 16-22, 2005.

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SUMMARY: Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez will lead a senior-
level business development trade mission to Guatemala, El Salvador and 
Honduras, October 16-22, 2005. The overall focus of the trip will be 
commercial opportunities for U.S. companies, including joint ventures 
and export opportunities. In Guatemala City, Guatemala, the 
participants will have a market briefing followed by two days of one-
on-one appointments with potential buyers/partners. There is also a 
possible meeting with the President of Guatemala and other high level 
government Officials. In San Salvador, El Salvador the participants 
will have a market briefing and two days of one-on-one appointments 
with potential buyers partners. There is also a possible meeting with 
the President of El Salvador and other high level government officials. 
The final stop is San Pedro Sula, Honduras where participants will have 
a market briefing, one-on-one appointments, and a possible meeting with 
the President and top government officials all rolled into one day.

DATES: Applications should be submitted to the Office of Business 
Liaison by September 16, 2005. Applications received after that date 
will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Office of Business Liaison; Room 5062, 
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, tel: (202) 482-1360; Fax: 
(202) 482-4054.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Secretarial Business Development Mission to 
Central America, October 16-22, 2005.

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Mission Description

    Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez will lead a senior-level 
U.S. business delegation to Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, 
October 16-22, 2005, to highlight new regional opportunities for U.S. 
businesses in promising sectors in Central America.
    The Business Development Mission will target, but not be limited 
to, the following industry sectors: Aerospace; Automotive Parts and 
Services Equipment; Building Supplies; Chemicals; Construction 
Equipment; Electrical Power Generation and Distribution Equipment; 
Environmental Technologies; Food Processing and Packaging; Information 
Technology; Medical Equipment; Paper and Paperboard; Pharmaceuticals; 
Plastics (Resins and Raw Materials); Printing and Graphics; and 
Textiles. The mission will include meetings with key government 
officials, American and local chambers of commerce, industry and trade 
associations, and business-to-business matchmaking appointments with 
local companies.
    Representatives of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation 
(OPIC), U.S. Trade Development Agency (USTDA), the U.S. Export-Import 
Bank (Ex-Im), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and U.S. 
Agency for International Development (USAID) will participate, as 
appropriate, in order to provide information and counseling on their 
programs. Additionally, the Mission will be open to participation by 
representatives of U.S. trade associations in the targeted industry 
sectors.

Commercial Setting

    The region created by the Central American and Dominican Republic 
Free Trade Agreement, commonly referred to as CAFTA, is the second-
largest export market in Latin America and the 10th largest market in 
the world for U.S. exports. The United States exports more to this 
region than it exports to India, Russia and Indonesia combined. Last 
year, U.S. exports to the region surpassed $15 billion and nearly half 
of the region's imports are from the United States. CAFTA provides 
substantial new market access for U.S. companies and solidifies the 
United States as the leading supplier of goods and services to Central 
America by eliminating the vast majority of tariffs on U.S. goods 
exported to the region. More than eighty percent of U.S. exports of 
industrial, consumer, and agricultural products to Central America will 
become duty-free immediately upon entry into force of the Agreement, 
with remaining tariffs phased out over 10 years. Small and medium-sized 
enterprises in particular should benefit from the significant tariff 
cuts provided under CAFTA.

Mission Goals

    The Mission to Central America will demonstrate U.S. commitment to 
the markets of Central America, maintain the momentum following the 
recent ratification of CAFTA, address implementation of the Agreement, 
and showcase next steps. The Mission will also highlight new regional 
opportunities for U.S. business, particularly in best prospects sectors 
in Central America. U.S. participants will gain first-hand market 
information, access to government decision makers, and one-on-one 
meetings with business contacts, so they can position themselves to 
enter or expand their presence in Central America. An additional 
benefit will be to provide information on U.S. government trade 
financing programs, through the inclusion of representatives from OPIC, 
USTDA, Ex-Im and SBA. Finally, the Mission will assist our CAFTA 
partners in attracting additional foreign direct investment.

Mission Scenario

    The Mission to Central America will include three stops: Guatemala 
City, Guatemala; San Salvador, El Salvador; and San Pedro Sula, 
Honduras. In each city, participants will meet with key government 
officials, including where possible, the President. In addition, the 
mission participants will meet with representatives of the Chambers of 
Commerce and industry, trade associations, and potential business 
partners. Receptions and other business events will be organized to 
provide Mission participants with opportunities to meet local business 
and government representatives, as well as, U.S. business executives 
living and working in the region.

Timetable

    The full program includes Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. 
Outside of the official Mission program, participants may choose to add 
stops in San Jose, Costa Rica, and/or Managua, Nicaragua--additional 
payments will apply to cover Gold Key Service appointments fees.

Guatemala City, Guatemala

Sunday, October 16:
    Arrive Guatemala.
    Briefing on Market Conditions by U.S. Government Officials.
Monday, October 17:
    Possible Meetings with the President and Government Officials.
    Business Event/Briefing with Local Industry Representatives.
    Individual Company Appointments.
    Reception Hosted by U.S. Ambassador.
Tuesday, October 18:
    Business Event/Briefing with Local Industry Representatives.
    Individual Company Appointments.
    Depart Guatemala for Honduras.

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

Tuesday, October 18:
    Arrive in Honduras.
    Briefing on Market Conditions by U.S. Government Officials.
Wednesday, October 19:
    Possible Meetings with the President and Government Officials.
    Business Event/Briefing with Local Industry Representatives.
    Individual Company Appointments.
    Reception Hosted by U.S. Ambassador.
Thursday, October 20:
    Depart Honduras for El Salvador.

San Salvador, El Salvador

Thursday, October 20:
    Arrive in El Salvador.
    Briefing on Market Conditions by U.S. Government Officials.
    Business Event/Briefing with Local Industry Representatives.
    Individual Company Appointments.
    Reception Hosted by the U.S. Ambassador.
Friday, October 21:
    Possible Meetings with the President and Government Officials.
    Individual Company Appointments.
    Business Event/Briefing by Local Industry Representatives.
Saturday, October 22:
    Depart El Salvador for the United States.

Criteria For Participants' Selection

     Relevance of a company's business line to mission goals.
     Timeliness of the company's signed application and 
participation agreement (including the participation fees).
     Minimum of 10 and a maximum of 15 participating companies 
on the mission.
     Potential for business in Central America for the company.
     Provision of adequate information on the company's 
products and/or services, and the company's primary market objectives, 
in order to facilitate appropriate matching with potential business 
partners.
     Certification that the company meets Departmental 
guidelines for participation. A company's products or services must be 
either produced in the

[[Page 46816]]

United States, or, if not, marketed under the name of a U.S. firm and 
have at least 51 percent U.S. content of the value of the finished 
product or service.
    The participation fee is $7,700.00 per firm, which includes one 
representative. The fee for each additional firm representative is 
$2,000.00. The option to participate in the trade mission is also being 
offered to U.S.-based firms in Central America; the same fee structure 
applies. Expenses for travel, lodging, and incidentals will be the 
responsibility of each mission participant.
    Any partisan political activities (including political 
contributions) of an applicant are entirely irrelevant to the selection 
process.

Timeframe 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://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and 
trade media, direct mail, broadcast fax, notices by industry trade 
associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry 
meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows. The Commercial 
Service will explore and welcome outreach assistance from other 
interested organizations, including other U.S. Government agencies.
    Applications for the Mission will be made available August 1, 2005, 
through September 15, 2005. Applications can be obtained from the U.S. 
Department of Commerce Office of Business Liaison (202) 482-1360 or 
from the mission Web site at http://www.buyusa.gov/centralamerica/en/. 
The application deadline is September 16, 2005. Completed applications 
should be submitted to the Office of Business Liaison. Applications 
received after that date will be considered only if space and 
scheduling constraints permit.

Contacts

Applications

Jennifer Andberg, Deputy Director, Office of Business Liaison, Office 
of the Secretary, Washington, DC. Tel: (202) 482-1360. 
[email protected].

Country Information

Daniel Thompson, Regional Senior Commercial Officer for Central 
America. Tel: (503) 2501-2060; Fax: (503) 2501-2073. 
[email protected].
Mary Boscia, Commercial Attache, El Salvador. Tel: (503) 2501-2064; 
Fax: (503) 2501-2073. [email protected].
Mitch Larsen, Senior Commercial Officer, Guatemala. Tel: (502) 2326-
4261; Fax: (502) 2331-7373. [email protected].
Rossana Lobo, Senior Commercial Specialist, Honduras. Tel: (504) 236-
9320; Fax: (504) 238-2888. [email protected].

Program Information

Wake Margo, Project Officer, Global Trade Programs (GTP), Washington, 
DC. Tel: (202) 482-2026; Fax: (202) 428-2718. [email protected].

    Dated: August 5, 2005.
Timothy Thompson,
Executive Director, Global Trade Programs.
[FR Doc. E5-4347 Filed 8-10-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P