[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 18 (Thursday, January 29, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5145-5147]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-1866]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Mission Statement; Aerospace Executive Service at Latin America 
Aero and Defence 2009 April 14-17, 2009

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

    The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service is organizing an 
Aerospace Executive Service (AES) trade mission to the Latin America 
Aero and Defence (LAAD) 2009 show, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, April 14-
17, 2009. LAAD is in its sixth biennial year and is a certified U.S. 
Department of Commerce trade show. The AES will include representatives 
from a variety of U.S. aerospace-industry manufacturers and service 
providers. The mission participants will benefit from individual, pre-
screened appointments at the Riocentro trade show location with 
potential agents, distributors, and end-users whose capabilities are 
targeted to each U.S. participant's requirements. Participating 
companies will also benefit from exhibitor access to the trade show, a 
product literature display at LAAD, country briefings, and logistical 
support during the trade mission program.

Commercial Setting

    LAAD features equipment and services for the internal security and 
Special Forces, as well as state-of-the-art equipment and services to 
the conventional armed forces of Latin America. Visitors include 
military, aerospace, and airline decision makers from throughout Latin 
America and the world. In 2007, 315 companies from 28 countries 
exhibited a wide range of commercial and military aerospace and ground 
support equipment and services, including aerospace materials and 
interiors, airport ground support equipment, aircraft maintenance 
services and equipment, avionics and radar systems, simulators and 
training equipment and unmanned aerial vehicles.
    Latin America's defense market represents emerging opportunities 
for aerospace manufacturers with a growing demand for new and upgraded 
fighters, surveillance and patrol platforms, air-to-air tankers and 
counter-insurgency/anti-narcotics equipment. Military expenditures in 
Latin America are expected to reach $32.2 billion in 2009. In addition, 
Latin American governments plan to introduce new and updated systems. 
Specifically Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Chile are planning to 
procure nuclear-powered submarine capability, technologies for counter-
insurgency operations against guerillas and illicit drug crops, 
counter-narcotics, and tanker aircraft for in-flight refueling.
    In Brazil, the armed forces are continuing to modernize its 
equipment and systems. The Government of Brazil is making financing a 
priority in order for the Brazilian Air Force to address its most 
urgent updating requirements. Additionally, Latin American countries 
are participating in United Nations-sponsored peace keeping and 
disaster relief missions throughout the world, creating additional 
procurement requirements.

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Mission Goals

    The goal of the AES at Latin America Aerospace and Defence (LAAD) 
2009 is to facilitate an effective presence for small- to medium-sized 
U.S. companies that may not yet be ready to incur the major expenses 
associated with purchasing and staffing exhibition space. The AES 
enables U.S. aerospace companies to familiarize themselves with this 
important trade fair, to conduct market research, and to explore export 
opportunities through pre-screened meetings with potential partners. 
With Commercial Service staff on hand to help further company-specific 
objectives, the AES provides access to Brazil and other international 
markets and business partners in a manner that cannot be matched by 
simply attending the show as a visitor.

Mission Scenario

    The AES at LAAD will formally begin on Tuesday, April 14, 2009, 
with a company briefing and visit to the trade show on the opening day. 
On Wednesday, April 15, and Thursday, April 16, AES participants will 
benefit from pre-screened meetings (with up to eight appointments per 
company) with prospective distributors and end-users arranged by the 
Commercial Service in Brazil. These meetings will be held in private 
rooms at the Riocentro Convention Center. No exhibition or larger 
demonstration items will be permitted, unless the AES participating 
company separately purchases exhibitor booth space directly from 
Clarion Expo, the show organizer. On the final day of the show, Friday, 
April 17, AES participants can visit the show floor at LAAD and hold 
their own independently scheduled follow up meetings, with Commercial 
Service staff available at the show to assist, as needed.
    The AES package at LAAD 2009 also includes the following:
     Official show entry (or exhibitor) passes.
     Listing in the LAAD 2009 Exhibitor's Directory.
     Company product literature on display in the U.S. booth.
     Logistical support (interpreter for pre-scheduled 
meetings, ground transportation to/from the show each day, and 
coordination of hotel arrangements).

Proposed Mission Timetable

 
 
 
Monday, April 13, 2009.................  Companies arrive in Rio de
                                          Janeiro.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009................  Official trade show briefing
                                          and visit to LAAD 2009.
Wednesday, April 15, Thursday, April 16  Pre-screened individual
                                          meetings at show location.
Friday, April 17.......................  Companies visit LAAD for
                                          individual follow-up. AES
                                          concludes.
 

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the AES at LAAD 2009 
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 5 and maximum of 6 companies 
will be selected to participate in the mission from the applicant pool. 
U.S. companies already doing business in Latin America as well as U.S. 
companies seeking to enter Latin American markets for the first time 
may apply.
    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 $4,500 for large firms 
and $3,000 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME).\*\ The fee for 
each additional firm representative (large firm or SME) is $350. 
Expenses for travel, lodging, most meals, and incidentals will be the 
responsibility of each mission participant.
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    \*\ An SME is defined as a firm with 500 or fewer employees or 
that otherwise qualifies as a small business under SBA regulations 
(see http://www.sba.gov/services/contracting opportunities/
sizestandardstopics/index.html). Parent companies, affiliates, and 
subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. The 
dual pricing reflects the Commercial Service's user fee schedule 
that became effective May 1, 2008 (see http://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html for additional information).
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    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. 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 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.
     Each applicant's products must meet LAAD 2009 trade fair 
rules. Regulation information can be found at the show's Web site at 
http://www.laadexpo.com/2009/eng/index.asp.
    Selection Criteria: Selection will be based on the following 
criteria:
     Suitability of the company's products or services to the 
Latin American market.
     Applicant's potential for business in Latin America, 
including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission.
     Relevance of the company's business line to the mission's 
goals.
    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.

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 missions calendar--http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html--and other Internet Web sites, publication in domestic trade 
publications and association newsletters, mailings from internal 
mailing lists, faxes to internal database aerospace clients, email to 
aerospace distribution lists, and announcements at industry meetings, 
conferences, and trade shows. ITA Aerospace and Defense Technology Team 
members in U.S. Export Assistance Centers will have the lead in 
recruiting the AES Program.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than March 1, 2009. Applications will be available online at 
http://www.buyusa.gov/connecticut/laad2009.html. They can also be 
obtained by contacting the Mission Contacts listed below. The mission 
will open on a first come first served basis. Applications received 
after March 1, 2009 will be considered only if space and scheduling 
constraints permit.

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    Contacts:

Melissa Grosso, U.S. Commercial Service Middletown, Tel: 860-638-6955, 
[email protected].
Genard Burity, U.S. Commercial Service, Rio de Janeiro, Tel: 55-21-
3823-2401, [email protected].
Daniele Andrews, U.S. Commercial Service, Brasilia , Tel: 55-61-312-
7458, [email protected],

Sean Timmins,
Global Trade Programs, Commercial Service Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. E9-1866 Filed 1-28-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P