[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 12 (Wednesday, January 20, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3206-3209]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-928]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Mission Statement; Middle East Public Health Mission, June 5-10, 
2010

AGENCY: International Trade Commission, 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 (CS), is organizing 
a Public Health Trade Mission to Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and 
Doha, Qatar, from June 5-10, 2010. Led by a senior Department of 
Commerce official, the mission will focus on two important public 
health issues: (1) Patient healthcare and (2) water and waste 
management. The mission will provide an excellent venue for U.S. 
companies to promote equipment, services, and technologies in a range 
of public health sectors, including hospital and clinical laboratory 
equipment; pharmaceuticals; health care technologies; public health 
education; hospital construction and design; IT software; and waste 
management including medical waste; incinerators, bio-mass technology, 
recycling and integrated solid waste management services, water and 
sewage treatment plants; water desalinization and water distribution.

Commercial Setting

    Saudi Arabia and Qatar offer solid business opportunities in this 
region for the public health sectors. Increasing populations and rapid 
urbanization in recent years are creating strong demand for healthcare 
and water and waste management. Authorities are constantly at work 
meeting growing demands for basic public health concerns.
    Both countries are upgrading and expanding hospitals and increasing 
the focus on healthcare for the population. Public and private sector 
healthcare systems are seeking a wide range of new equipment, 
technologies, and solutions. Concurrently, water resources are in 
critical demand in a region where water tables are decreasing, creating 
need for more effective water treatment and management. Waste 
management, from sewage to medical waste, is also a concern as the 
countries are looking for solutions.
    Saudi Arabia and Qatar rely heavily on imports in these key public 
health sectors. U.S equipment, technology, and know how enjoy an 
excellent reputation here. Business is done on the basis of contacts 
and U.S. exporters will need to travel to the region to develop strong 
working relationships with locally based agents or distributors.

Saudi Arabia

    The Saudi economy is growing rapidly. Since 2002, Saudi Arabia has 
enjoyed budget surpluses every year and the country carried large cash 
reserves of $452 billion in 2009. Saudi Arabia is the largest free 
market economy in the region with a nominal GDP expected at $460 
billion in 2009.

Medical Equipment and Healthcare Sector

    Between now and 2016, the population of Saudi Arabia is expected to 
grow by more than 20%, from 23 million to 30 million, which, in turn, 
will create an unprecedented demand for healthcare services. Saudi 
Arabia remains the Gulf region's largest and most developed market for 
medical products and services, valued at $13.1 billion. The 
introduction of compulsory healthcare insurance, the gradually aging 
population, and greater material wealth along with an upsurge in 
lifestyle diseases all combine to boost demand for healthcare services.
    From 2009 to 2016 health expenditures are expected to increase 
dramatically, even faster than the 20% rate of population growth. Over 
the same period, demand for hospital beds is likely to grow from 51,000 
to 70,000, demand for physicians is likely to rise from 40,000 to 
54,000 and the number of hospitals is likely to rise from 364 to 502. 
The government allocated $13.9 billion for the healthcare sector in the 
2009 budget, 17% more than in 2008. The funds were used to finance 86 
new hospitals with 11,750 beds and additional Primary Healthcare 
Centers (PHC). Government spending on the healthcare sector is expected 
to grow to over $20 billion by 2016 annually.

Water Resources

    Saudi Arabia is the third largest consumer of water per capita in 
the world, but has limited groundwater to tap. The country has been 
plagued by shortages in recent years, and with consumption from a 
rising population and economic growth set to soar. Desalination forms 
the backbone of the government's water strategy. Some 30 desalination 
plants have already been

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built by the state, but these have barely been able to keep pace with 
rising demand. Building on a master plan drawn up in 2002, the 
government has committed $6 billion a year to bolster the water sector 
over the next two decades.
    Saudi Arabia's leaky water supply and wastewater pipeline network 
is also receiving massive investment, mainly through public private 
partnerships (PPPs). Wastewater treatment management is also being 
opened up to the private sector in a separate program. Mindful of the 
expense involved in all this and the need to conserve water, the Saudi 
Government is working on a number of large projects, primarily in the 
water and sewage sectors, in an attempt to meet the needs posed by 
rising population and industrial growth.

Solid Waste Management

    Saudi Arabia's rapid industrialization, construction, and 
urbanization have increased levels of pollution and waste. The Saudi 
government recognizes the critical demand for waste management 
solutions, and is investing heavily in solving this problem. The 2008 
national budget allocates: (1) $4.5 billion for the municipal services 
sector, which includes water drainage and waste disposal; and, (2) $7.6 
billion for the water, agriculture and infrastructure sector, which 
includes sanitation services and desalination plants.
    The Kingdom's five-year plan for infrastructure and public sector 
building that ended last year was valued at over $53 billion. Six mega 
cities are under construction, and hundreds of thousands of housing 
units are to be constructed. All projects will produce waste requiring 
the latest in recycling and waste management. Yet, this multi-billion 
dollar sector continues to be under-developed, and holds substantial 
business opportunities for American companies.

Qatar

    Qatar's economy is growing at an extraordinary rate, presenting 
U.S. firms with excellent export opportunities. Qatar's robust GDP 
growth, among the fastest in the world, is mainly attributed to ongoing 
increases in production and exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), 
oil, and petrochemicals products.
    Commercial ties between the United States and Qatar have expanded 
at a rapid pace. Between 2003 and 2008, trade volumes grew by more than 
340%, from $738 million to $3.2 billion. Over the same period, U.S. 
exports increased 580 percent to $2.7 billion, making the United States 
the largest import partner for Qatar. In 2008, Qatar was the United 
States' fifth largest export market in the Middle East.

Medical Equipment and Healthcare Sector

    Health care is a priority concern for the Qatari leadership. The 
country is investing billions in developing modern medical facilities 
to cope with rapid population growth. According to the latest data, 
Qatar has nine hospitals and 23 health centers. In Qatar, healthcare 
services are either free or highly subsidized. According to the latest 
industry data available, government health expenditures account for 
14.9 percent of total government expenditures.
    Currently, three public hospitals are being built at the $1 billion 
Hamad Medical City, which in total will provide 1,100 additional beds. 
The facilities will provide pediatric, trauma and orthopedic care, as 
well as a nursing home for the elderly and a renal dialysis unit. A 
300-bed community hospital is also under construction in Al-Wakrah. The 
largest healthcare project under way in Qatar is the $2.4 billion Sidra 
Medical & Research Center at Education City. Due to open in 2012 with 
infrastructure to house 550 beds, Sidra has been designed as a ``five-
star'' hospital with the long-term vision to become a referral center 
for patients from across the region. These new facilities will 
significantly expand Qatar's healthcare system within the next few 
years.

Water Resources

    Over the past decade, Qatar has had one of the fastest growth rates 
in water usage in the Gulf, at around 16 percent annually. Qatar 
consumes over 219 million gallons of water per day, 99% of which comes 
from desalination plants. Qatar's desalination capacity will total 324 
million gallons per day in 2010, but water consumption is expected to 
reach 380 million gallons per day by 2013. As population and industrial 
growth push needs to high levels, the nation's water authorities are 
contending with some of the highest per capita water consumption rates 
in the world.
    The Qatar Electricity and Water Company (QEWC) committed $7.5 
billion in January 2009 to increase power capacity and to raise water 
capacity to more than 300 million gallons per day. QEWC is set to 
implement the largest power generation and water desalination project 
in Qatar. The project is estimated to cost around $3.85 billion and 
will have a capacity of 63 million gallons of water per day. In 
addition, plans are being drawn up for a new 30-50 million gallons per 
day desalination plant to plug an anticipated water shortfall by 2011-
13. Preliminary studies are also being made to determine the best 
location for further water desalination plants.

Solid Waste Management

    Qatar has emerged as a fast developing country with growing 
environmental problems associated with rapid urbanization and 
population influx. There is an urgent demand for basic infrastructure 
to support economic growth, especially for waste management. The annual 
per capita waste generation rate in Qatar is about 430 kilograms per 
person, which is relatively high among industrialized country 
standards.
    In addition to its own population growth, the number of travelers 
to the country is increasing. For example, business travel to the 
country is expected to grow by 20% over the next five years. Thirteen 
million passengers pass though the current air terminal each year, 
while the new airport expects to see 24 million passengers a year. This 
influx of tourist place even more strains on Qatar's existing capacity 
to handle solid waste.

Mission Goals

    The objective of this trade mission is to introduce U.S. companies 
to distributors, public and private buying agents and other potential 
business partners. The mission will focus on identifying opportunities 
for sales for patient healthcare and water and waste management. The 
mission will additionally seek to acquaint U.S. companies with the 
local market environments for public health equipment so as to 
facilitate their ability to effectively introduce their products to the 
region.

Mission Scenario

    Participants will visit three of the region's key metropolitan 
centers. The mission will have access to major countrywide markets, as 
well as central government officials and U.S. Embassy staff for 
regulatory and business climate briefings.
    Riyadh--the capital of Saudi Arabia. Government Ministries and many 
decisionmakers are based here.
    Jeddah--the business capital of Saudi Arabia offers extensive 
opportunities in the public healthcare sector.
    Doha--the capital of Qatar, a Gulf Emirate, offers business-
friendly commercial procedures and political stability.
    During the trade mission participants will receive: (A) Briefings 
on public health markets in each city visited;

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(B) introductions to potential agents/distributors, facility 
administrators, and purchasing managers through group events; (C) site 
visits if applicable; (D) one-on-one meetings tailored to each firm's 
interests; and (E) meetings with local business representatives and 
government officials, as appropriate.

Proposed Mission Timetable

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
               Day of week                            Date                              Activity
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday..................................  June 4; Riyadh.............  Arrive in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Informal
                                                                        dinner and greeting by U.S. Commercial
                                                                        Service staff.
Saturday................................  June 5; Riyadh.............  Mission meetings officially start;
                                                                        Breakfast briefing from Riyadh Embassy
                                                                        staff; Group meeting with local U.S.
                                                                        business executives; One-on-one business
                                                                        appointments; Evening business
                                                                        reception.
Sunday..................................  June 6; Riyadh.............  One-on-one business appointments in
                                                                        Riyadh; Possible site visit--choice of
                                                                        hospital or waste/water treatment
                                                                        facility.
Monday..................................  June 7; Riyadh/Jeddah......  Travel to Jeddah as a group in the
                                                                        morning; One-on-one business
                                                                        appointments in Jeddah; Possible site
                                                                        visit; Possible Evening business
                                                                        reception or informal dinner.
Tuesday.................................  June 8; Jeddah/Doha........  One-on-one business meetings; Travel to
                                                                        Doha, Qatar as a group in the late
                                                                        afternoon; Informal dinner in Doha.
Wednesday...............................  June 9; Doha...............  Commercial briefings from Embassy staff;
                                                                        One-on-one business appointments; Group
                                                                        meeting with local U.S. business
                                                                        executives; Evening business reception.
Thursday................................  June 10; Doha..............  One-on-one business meetings; Round table
                                                                        discussion with U.S. companies in Qatar;
                                                                        Possible site visit in afternoon visit--
                                                                        choice of hospital or waste/water;
                                                                        treatment facility.
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    Note: The final schedule and potential site visits will depend 
on the availability of local government and business officials, 
specific goals of mission participants, and air travel schedules.

Participation Requirements

    All persons interested in participating in the Public Health Trade 
Mission to Saudi Arabia and Qatar 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 10 and a maximum of 25 companies will be selected to 
participate in the mission from the applicant pool. U.S. companies 
already doing business in the Middle East as well as U.S. companies 
seeking to enter the region for the first time are encouraged to apply.

Fees and Expenses

    After a company or trade organization has been selected to 
participate in the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in 
the form of a participation fee is required. The participation fee will 
be $4,590 for large firms and $3,550 for a small or medium-sized 
enterprise (SME) \1\ or small organization, which will cover one 
representative.\2\ The fee for each additional firm representative 
(large firm or SME) is $600. Expenses for travel, lodging, most meals, 
and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission participant.
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    \1\ 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).
    \2\ 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 U.S. 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.

Selection Criteria for Participation

    Selection will be based on the following criteria:
     Suitability of the company's products or services to the 
Saudi and Qatar markets.
     Applicant's potential for business in Saudi and Qatar, 
including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission.
     Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the mission (as an example--be in the public health 
sectors indicated in the mission description).
    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 mission calendar (http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and 
trade media, direct mail, notices by industry trade associations and 
other multiplier groups, and publicity at industry meetings, symposia, 
conferences, and trade shows. CS Saudi Arabia and CS Qatar will work in 
conjunction with Global Trade Programs, which will serve as a key 
facilitator in establishing strong commercial ties to the U.S. 
companies in the targeted sectors nationwide.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than Wednesday, March 31, 2010. The U.S. Department of Commerce 
will review all applications immediately after the deadline. We will 
inform applicants of selection decisions as soon as possible after 
March 31, 2010. Applications received after the deadline will be 
considered only if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Contacts

Ms. Jeanne Townsend, Baltimore U.S. Export Assistance Center, Tel: 410-
962-4518, Fax: 410-962-4529, E-mail: [email protected],

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Ms. Lisa C. Huot, U.S. Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230, 
Tel: 202-482-2796, Fax: 202-482-0115, E-Mail: [email protected].

Sean Timmins,
Global Trade Programs, Commercial Service Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-928 Filed 1-19-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE P