[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 48 (Friday, March 13, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 10890-10892]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-5516]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Mission Statement; Aerospace Supplier Development Mission to 
Canada; May 5-6, 2009

AGENCY: Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

    The U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service in Canada is 
organizing an Aerospace Supplier Development Mission to Montreal, May 
5-6, 2009. This aerospace mission is designed to provide U.S. aerospace 
export-ready, small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) with a highly 
efficient and cost-effective opportunity to establish profitable 
commercial relations with prospective agents, distributors and end-
users in Canada's aerospace market. Participating U.S. companies will 
receive market intelligence briefings by Canadian industry experts, 
networking opportunities and most importantly, pre-scheduled, pre-
screened one-on-one meetings with Canadian aerospace company 
representatives. Mission participants will also benefit from

[[Page 10891]]

visiting key local aerospace original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and 
speaking with procurement managers about supply chain opportunities. 
This mission is an ideal opportunity for U.S. aerospace companies to 
gain valuable international business experience in a low risk, highly 
important market. Canada has the fifth largest aerospace industry in 
the world. This mission presents strong potential for high returns 
given these factors and the ongoing support of the U.S. Commercial 
Service in Canada. U.S. participants will also have the option to go on 
to Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary or Vancouver for additional matchmaking 
services.

Commercial Setting

    Canada is a very receptive market to U.S. goods and services and 
represents an ideal opportunity for the U.S. Commercial Service, both 
in the United States and Canada, to advance our ITA goals to broaden 
and deepen the U.S. exporter base and help our SMEs achieve export 
success. The United States and Canada share the largest and most 
dynamic commercial relationship in the world. In 2008, two-way 
merchandise trade crossing our common border with Canada stood at 
US$596.9 billion, or more than US$1.6 billion per day as U.S. exports 
to Canada grew by 5.0 percent. Today, U.S. trade with Canada exceeds 
total U.S. trade with the 27 countries of the European Union combined. 
Canada also represents the number one export market for 36 of our 50 
states and is among the top five export markets for another ten states.
    In 2008, Canada was the fourth largest export market for U.S. 
aerospace products, generating close to US$7.5 billion in U.S. export 
sales. Canada's aerospace industry is the fifth largest in the world; 
in 2007 total aerospace sales were US$22.7 billion, of which US$16.5 
billion were in the aircraft and aircraft parts industry sub-sector. 
Canada is a world leader in the global aerospace industry and a market 
leader in regional aircraft, commercial helicopters, turbine engines, 
flight simulators and a broad range of aircraft systems, components and 
equipment. Quebec is at the heart of the Canadian Aerospace Industry. 
Over 60 percent of all Canadian aerospace production and approximately 
70 percent of Canadian aerospace research and development is performed 
within a 30-mile radius of Montreal. Quebec's aerospace industry alone 
is the sixth largest in the world.
    Montreal is home to renowned industry leaders such as Bombardier 
Aerospace, Bell Helicopter Textron, Pratt & Whitney Canada, and CAE. To 
this exceptional concentration of world leaders, we can add other big 
names such as Rolls-Royce Canada, H[eacute]roux Devtek, Messier-Dowty, 
CMC Electronics--Esterline, Thales, and many other suppliers, mostly 
SMEs, which form a cluster of over 250 aerospace firms.
    Canada's geographic proximity, open market economy, stable business 
climate and receptivity to U.S. goods and services make it the number 
one gateway to the international marketplace for thousands of U.S. 
export-ready SMEs. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), 
which provides U.S. NAFTA qualifying products with duty-free entry into 
Canada, also contributes to the relatively low-cost, low-risk, access 
that U.S. SMEs can use to prosper and grow in the global marketplace.

Mission Goals

    The trade mission's goal is to introduce U.S. exporters of 
aerospace supply chain products to potential end-users and partners, 
including potential agents, distributors, and licensees, with the aim 
of creating business partnerships that will contribute to increasing 
U.S. exports to the Canadian aerospace market, particularly the 
aircraft and aircraft parts market. The trade mission's goal intends to 
advance ITA's goal to broaden and deepen the U.S. exporter base by 
providing individual participants with opportunities to achieve 
aerospace export success in Canada. A particular focus on NTE/NTM 
companies will be made in our recruitment process to help these 
companies export successfully to Canada.

Mission Scenario

    Participants in the mission to Canada will benefit from a full 
range of business facilitation and trade promotion services provided by 
the U.S. Commercial Service in Canada, including: Meetings with 
individuals from both the public sector (e.g., aerospace trade 
officers) and private business. Participants will receive a briefing by 
a panel of experts on the Canadian and Quebec aerospace markets, as 
well as an overview of the country's economic and political 
environment. The mission will include one-on-one business meetings 
between U.S. participants and potential Canadian end-users and 
partners, and tours of some of the largest original aerospace 
manufacturers, where companies will have the opportunity to meet senior 
OEM representatives and learn about planned projects and expected 
procurement needs. A networking event is being planned in Montreal. 
Follow-on Gold Key service with business meetings in other Canadian 
cities can be set up after the trade mission to Montreal for an 
additional price, depending on participants' wishes.
    Matchmaking efforts will include the support of the following 
Canadian Aerospace Industry multipliers: Quebec Ministry of Economic 
Development, Export and Innovation, Industry Canada, the Canadian 
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the Quebec 
Aerospace Association.
    Prior to the end of the mission, Commercial Service staff will 
counsel participants on follow-up procedures.

Proposed Mission Timetable

    The proposed schedule allows for about two full days in Montreal. 
Efforts will be made to accommodate participating companies who express 
an interest in traveling to a second Canadian city after the Montreal 
program for additional matchmaking services.

Monday, May 4, 2009.............................  Mission members arrive
                                                   in Montreal; No-host
                                                   dinner.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009............................  Market briefing;
                                                   Business matchmaking;
                                                   Networking event.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009..........................  Visits to several
                                                   Canadian aerospace
                                                   OEMs and opportunity
                                                   to meet with
                                                   procurement managers;
                                                   Debriefing; Departure
                                                   from Montreal.
 

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the Commercial Service 
Aerospace Supplier Development Mission to Canada must complete and 
submit an application package for consideration by the Department of 
Commerce. All applicants will be evaluated on their ability to satisfy 
the selection criteria as outlined below. A minimum of 10 and maximum 
of 15 companies will be considered for the mission.

Fees and Expenses

    After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a 
participation fee paid to the U.S. Department of Commerce is required. 
The participation fee will be $3,100 for large firms and $2,000 for a 
small or

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medium-sized enterprise (SME),* with up to two company representatives. 
The fee for more than two company representatives is $250 per 
additional participant. Expenses for travel, lodging, in-country 
transportation (except for bus transportation to visit local aerospace 
OEMs on the second day of the mission), 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 
Participation Agreement and a completed Market Interest Questionnaire, 
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 to be promoted through the mission are either produced in the 
United States or 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.

Selection Criteria

    Selection will be based on the following criteria:
     Suitability of the company's products or services for the 
Canadian aerospace market.
     Applicant's potential for business in Canada, including 
the likelihood of exports resulting from the mission.
     Consistency in the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the mission.
    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. 
Outreach will include 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. CS Canada is conducting a webinar on 
aerospace opportunities in the Canadian aerospace market on March 17, 
2009. We intend to promote the Aerospace Supplier Development Mission 
to Canada during the webinar.
    The mission will be open on a first-come, first-served basis. 
Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and close on April 
6, 2009. Applications received after April 6, 2009, will be considered 
only if space and scheduling constraints permit. Applications will be 
available online on the mission Web site at: http://www.buyusa.gov/Canada.

Contacts

Gina Bento, Aerospace Commercial Specialist, U.S. Consulate General in 
Montreal, P.O. Box 65 Desjardins Station, Montreal, QC H5B 1G1, Tel: 
514-908-3660, e-mail: [email protected].
Diane Mooney, U.S. Commercial Service in Seattle, Tel: 206.553.5615, 
ext. 236, e-mail: [email protected].
Eric Nielsen, U.S. Commercial Service in Tucson, Tel: 520-670-5808, e-
mail: [email protected].

Sean Timmins,
Global Trade Programs, Commercial Service Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. E9-5516 Filed 3-12-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P