[Federal Register Volume 72, Number 153 (Thursday, August 9, 2007)]
[Notices]
[Pages 44831-44833]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E7-15576]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Mission Statement; Secretarial Business Development Mission to 
Vietnam, November 2007

AGENCY: Department of Commerce, ITA.

ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

    Secretary of Commerce Carlos M. Gutierrez will lead a senior-level 
U.S. business delegation to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, from 
November 4-8, 2007, to promote U.S. exports to Vietnam's leading 
industry sectors. The mission will focus on assisting U.S. companies 
doing business with Vietnam increase their current level of exports as 
well as helping U.S. companies that are experienced exporters enter the 
Vietnamese market for the first time. The mission will help 
participating firms gain market information, make business and 
government contacts, solidify business strategies, and advance specific 
projects, towards the goal of helping U.S. firms expand their exports 
to Vietnam. The mission will include business-to-business matchmaking 
appointments with local companies, as well as meetings with key 
government officials, and American and local chambers of commerce. The 
mission will additionally provide a platform for policy and commercial 
issues--including transparency, rule of law, trading/distribution 
rights and intellectual-property rights protection--that U.S. companies 
face in the Vietnamese market. The delegation will be comprised of U.S. 
firms representing a cross section of U.S. industries with commercial 
interests in Vietnam.
    Senior representatives of the U.S. Trade Development Agency 
(USTDA), the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im), and the 
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will be invited to 
participate (as appropriate), to provide information and counseling on 
their programs as they relate to the Vietnamese market.

Commercial Setting

    With a GDP of $61 billion and a young population of 84 million, 
Vietnam is one of the fastest growing economies in Asia (8.2% in 2006) 
and the newest member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) (January 
11, 2007). Since the signing of the U.S.-Vietnam Bilateral Trade 
Agreement in 2001, two-way trade has increased from about $1.5 billion 
(2001) to $9.7 billion (2006). Total U.S. merchandise exports to 
Vietnam in 2006 were $1.1 billion. Year-to-date (through May 2007) U.S. 
exports have grown 65.1% over last year.
    Industrial production continues to grow at 14-15% per annum, as the 
country follows an increasingly sophisticated foreign investment- and 
export-led growth strategy in such industries as agriculture and 
aquaculture, furniture, textiles and now

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consumer electronics. Over the past five years, multilateral 
development banks have expanded loan portfolios to fund aggressive 
infrastructure (transportation, energy, telecommunications) growth and 
will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. New WTO market-
opening commitments will continue to be phased in through 2015, making 
it easier for U.S. companies to open businesses and sell and distribute 
products in most major sectors. The telecommunications, power 
production, and oil and gas equipment markets are well above $2.0 
billion each and growing significantly each year. IT infrastructure, 
financial services, environmental products, aviation and airport 
equipment, security, mining, medical devices and franchising present 
further lucrative selling opportunities for U.S. exporters. Also, 
industrial inputs ranging from raw materials to sophisticated 
manufacturing technology are needed to fuel the Vietnam Government's 
export-led growth strategy. Rising incomes in Ho Chi Minh City and 
Hanoi, which tend to be four times the national average, are opening 
visible new selling opportunities for consumer goods producers and 
service-sector providers.
    The Vietnam Government has successfully privatized a few small 
State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and will continue to do so. However, in 
the major economic sectors, such as energy, banking, 
telecommunications, oil and gas, and shipping the Vietnam Government 
will ``equitize'' (offer shares of large state corporations to 
investors while maintaining a majority stake) SOEs over the next five 
to ten years. While challenges remain for U.S. companies doing business 
in Vietnam, evolving and improving regulatory and commercial law 
regimes are beginning to address business corruption, weak intellectual 
property rights enforcement and a lack of transparency and consistency. 
The mission is designed to assist U.S. companies to identify and 
capture these opportunities and address such challenges.
    Mission Goals: The Business Development Mission to Vietnam will 
assist U.S. businesses to initiate or expand their exports to Vietnam's 
leading industry sectors by making business-to-business introductions, 
providing market access information, and providing access to government 
decision makers. The Mission aims to:
     Assist U.S. companies already doing business with Vietnam 
to increase their business there;
     Assist U.S. companies that are experienced exporters to 
enter Vietnam for the first time;
     Address obstacles to trade with Vietnam, including 
transparency, rule of law, trading/distribution rights and intellectual 
property rights protection;
     Provide information on U.S. Government trade financing 
programs, through the inclusion of representatives from USTDA, Ex-Im, 
and OPIC (as appropriate).
    Mission Scenario: The Business Development Mission to Vietnam will 
include stops in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. In each city, participants 
will:
     Meet with high-level government officials;
     Meet with potential buyers, agents/distributors and 
partners; and
     Attend briefings conducted by Embassy officials on the 
economic and commercial climates.
    Receptions and other business events will be organized to provide 
mission participants with further opportunities to speak with local 
business and government representatives, as well as U.S. business 
executives living and working in the region.

                            Mission Timetable
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November 4, 2007, Sunday...............  Mission Begins (Late Afternoon/
                                          Evening)
                                         Commercial Briefing by
                                          Government Officials
                                         Welcome Event.
November 5, 2007, Monday...............  Official Meetings
                                         Business Delegation Matchmaking
                                         AmCham Event
                                         Reception hosted by Ambassador.
November 6, 2007, Tuesday..............  Official Meetings
                                         Business Delegation Matchmaking
                                         Travel to Ho Chi Minh City
                                         Reception hosted by Consul
                                          General.
November 7, 2007, Wednesday............  Official Meetings
                                         Business Delegation
                                          Matchmaking.
November 8, 2007, Thursday.............  Business Delegation Matchmaking
                                         Mission Concludes.
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    Criteria for Participation and Selection: All parties interested in 
participating in the Vietnam Business Development Mission 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. Between 20 and 30 companies will be selected to participate in 
the mission from the applicant pool.
    Fees and Expenses: After a company has been selected to participate 
on the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of 
a participation fee is required. The participation fee will be 
$7,000.00 per firm, which includes one principal representative. The 
fee for each additional firm representative is $2,100.00. Expenses for 
travel, lodging, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each 
mission participant.
    Selection Criteria: 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. If we receive 
an incomplete application, we may either reject the application or take 
the lack of information into account when we evaluate the applications.
     Each applicant must also:

--Certify that the products and services it seeks to export through the 
mission are either produced in the United States, or, if not, marketed 
under the name of a U.S. firm and have at least fifty-one percent U.S. 
content;
--Certify that the export of the products and services that it wishes 
to export through the mission would be in

[[Page 44833]]

compliance with U.S. export controls and regulations;
--Certify that it has identified to the Department of Commerce for its 
evaluation any business pending before the Department of Commerce that 
may present the appearance of a conflict of interest;
--Certify that it has identified any pending litigation (including any 
administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that involves the 
Department of Commerce; and
--Sign and submit an agreement that it and its affiliates (1) Have not 
and will not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in connection 
with company's/participant's involvement in this mission, and (2) 
maintain and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of foreign 
officials.

    Selection will be based on the following criteria in decreasing 
order of importance.
     Demonstrated export experience in Vietnam and/or globally;
     Suitability of a company's products or services to the 
Vietnamese market and likelihood of a participating company's 
increasing exports to Vietnam within a year as a result of this 
mission; and
     Rank/seniority of the designated company representative.
    Additional factors, such as diversity of company size, type, 
location, demographics, and traditional under-representation in 
business, may also be considered during the review process.
    Referrals from political organizations and any documents, including 
the application, containing references to partisan political activities 
(including political contributions) will be removed from an applicant's 
submission and not considered during 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 Office of Business Liaison and the 
International Trade Administration will explore and welcome outreach 
assistance from other interested organizations, including other U.S. 
Government agencies. Applications for the Mission will be made 
available July 30, 2007 through September 12, 2007. Applications can be 
completed on-line on the Vietnam Business Development Mission Web site 
at http://www.export.gov/vietnammission or can be obtained by 
contacting the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Business Liaison 
(202-482-1360 or [email protected]).
    The application deadline is September 12, 2007. Completed 
applications should be submitted to the Office of Business Liaison. 
Applications received after September 12, 2007 will be considered only 
if space and scheduling constraints permit.
    Contact Information: Pat Kirwan, Trade Promotion Coordinating 
Committee. U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, Tel: 
(202) 482-1360, E-mail: [email protected].

Pat Kirwan,
Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee.
 [FR Doc. E7-15576 Filed 8-8-07; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P