[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 143 (Tuesday, July 27, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 43939-43941]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-18273]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


The Americas Business Trade Mission to Mexico

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

    The U.S. Commercial Service of the International Trade 
Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce will recruit and organize a 
multiple industry trade mission to Mexico City with an optional second 
stop in Monterrey, October 25-28, 2010. This mission will be led by a 
senior Department of Commerce official.
    In each city, participating companies will have one day of pre-
scheduled, pre-screened one-on-one appointments with potential 
distributors, and/or business partners, as well as counseling from 
Commercial Service trade specialists. In both locations, there will be 
an in-depth commercial briefing on the local business climate. In 
Mexico City, there will also be a networking reception for the 
delegation with local private and public sector officials.
    The mission to Mexico is intended to include representatives from 
best-prospect sectors which include among others airport and aviation, 
automotive, building and construction, education and training, energy, 
environmental technologies, financial and insurance services, 
franchising, information technologies and telecommunications, safety 
and security, transportation and ports, and travel and tourism and to 
introduce participants to distributors and prospective partners.
    The Americas Business Trade Mission will build on the momentum 
gained from the 2009 and 2010 The Americas Business Forum held in Los 
Angeles, CA. The U.S. Commercial Service

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worked closely with the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the 
UCLA Anderson School of Business to recruit small-to-medium sized 
companies from across the country to attend the conference. During the 
conferences the Senior Commercial Officer from Mexico met with more 
than 50 companies interested in doing business in Mexico. This trade 
mission will build upon the interest shown during these meetings but 
participation in this mission is not limited to past participants of 
The Americas Business Forum.

Commercial Setting

     Mexico is the second largest market in the world for U.S. 
exports. Given the magnitude of trade between the United States and 
Mexico, there are abundant opportunities for U.S. firms in Mexico. The 
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), enacted in 1994, created a 
free trade zone for Mexico, Canada and the United States, and has 
resulted in approximately $367 billion of annual trade between the two 
countries, more than $1 billion of trade per day.
     Although Mexico's GDP contracted due to the global 
economic downturn, strong U.S.-Mexico trade continues. GDP is expected 
to grow by 4.2 percent in 2010. In addition, due to recent economic 
reforms Mexico's macro-economic picture is a healthier one than in 
early years of this decade.
     Mexico's size and diversity are often under appreciated by 
U.S. exporters. It can often be difficult to find a single distributor 
or agent to cover this vast market.
     The National Infrastructure Plan announced by President 
Calderon in July 2007 includes over 300 projects in the power, oil and 
gas, airport, ports, environmental, road transport and other sectors. 
Projects are open for U.S. company participation, and provide solid 
opportunities for the supply of goods, services, and technology.

Mission Goals

    This trade mission is designed to help U.S. firms initiate or 
expand their exports to Mexico by providing business-to-business 
introductions and market access information. This mission by connecting 
U.S. companies with potential Mexican trading partners also supports 
the President's initiative to double exports during the next five years 
to support 2 million American jobs.

Mission Scenario

    U.S. firms will take part in formal matchmaking sessions with 
Mexico City- and Monterrey-based companies. The participating U.S. 
firms will also be given opportunities to interact with local company 
representatives at networking events. For the one-on-one sessions, all 
U.S. companies, together with a Commercial Specialist and/or trade aide 
will visit their Mexican counterparts at their facilities. The precise 
schedule will depend on the availability of local business 
representatives and the specific goals and objectives of the mission 
participants.
    U.S. participants will be counseled before and after the mission by 
the mission coordinators. Participation in the mission will include the 
following:
     Pre-travel briefings/webinar on subjects ranging from 
business practices in Mexico to security;
     Pre-scheduled meetings with potential partners, 
distributors, end users, or local industry contacts in Mexico City and 
Monterrey (optional stop);
     Transportation to airports in Mexico City and Monterrey;
     Participation in networking reception in Mexico City, and
     Meetings with respective industry commercial specialists 
in CS Mexico City and Monterrey.

Proposed Timetable

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October 25....................  Mexico City:
                                   ``Doing Business in Mexico''
                                    Commercial Briefing by U.S.
                                    Commercial Service Mexico.
                                   City and Economic section of the U.S.
                                    Embassy.
                                   Review of mission schedule.
                                   Networking reception.
October 26....................  Mexico City:
                                One-on-one business matchmaking
                                 appointments.
October 27....................  Mexico City/Monterrey (optional):
                                   Morning:
                                     2-3 sessions on topics related to
                                      doing business in Mexico City.
                                     Debrief of Mexico City portion of
                                      trade mission.
                                     For those participating in
                                      Monterrey portion of trade
                                      mission, afternoon flight to
                                      Monterrey.
                                     Welcome to Monterrey dinner.
October 28....................  Monterrey:
                                   Breakfast briefing on doing business
                                    in Monterrey.
                                   One-on-one business matchmaking
                                    appointments.
                                   Debrief of trade mission.
                                   End of mission.
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Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in The Americas Business 
Trade Mission to Mexico must complete and submit an application for 
consideration by the U.S. Department of Commerce. All applicants will 
be evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and best 
satisfy the selection criteria as outlined below. This mission is 
designed for a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 15 companies that will be 
selected to participate in the mission from the applicant pool. U.S. 
companies already doing business in Mexico City as well as U.S. 
companies seeking to enter the market for the first time are encouraged 
to apply. For the optional stop in Monterrey, post can accommodate a 
maximum of 8 companies due to staffing constraints.

Fee and Expenses

    After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a 
payment to the U.S. Department of Commerce in the form of a 
participation fee is required. The participation fee will be $3,700 for 
large firms that participate in both cities ($2,000 if only 
participating in Mexico City) and $2,350 for a small or medium-

[[Page 43941]]

sized enterprise (SME) \1\ or small organization that participates in 
both cities ($1,300 if only participating in Mexico City), which will 
cover up to two representatives. The fee for each additional firm 
representative (large firm or SME) is $500. 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). 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 fifty-one percent U.S. content.

Selection Criteria for Participation

    Selection will be based on the following criteria:
     Suitability of a company's products or services to the 
mission's goals;
     Applicant's potential for business in Mexico, including 
likelihood of exports resulting from the trade mission, and
     Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the trade 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, 
including publication in the Federal Register, posting on the Commerce 
Department trade mission calendar (http://www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html), Pacific South Network U.S. Export Assistance Center Web 
sites, e-mail notification to registrants of TABF, clients and 
prospects of the Pacific South Network and local trade and corporate 
partners and publicity at local trade events and trade shows.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than September 3, 2010. The U.S. Commercial Service will review 
all applications immediately after the deadline. We will inform 
applicants of selection decisions as soon as possible after September 
3, 2010. Applications received after that date will be considered only 
if space and scheduling constraints permit.

Contacts

U.S. Commercial Service, Pacific South Network

    Julie Anne Hennessy, Los Angeles (West) U.S. Export Assistance 
Center, 11150 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 975, Los Angeles, CA 90064. T: 
(310) 235-7203. F: (310) 235-7220. E: [email protected].

U.S. Commercial Service, Mexico City

    Jeff Hamilton, U.S. Commercial Service, Liverpool No. 31, Col. 
Juarez, 06600 Mexico, DF. Tel: (52) (55) 5140-2612. Fax: (52) (55) 
5566-1111. E: [email protected].

Ryan Kane,
Global Trade Programs, Commercial Service Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-18273 Filed 7-26-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P