[Federal Register Volume 75, Number 160 (Thursday, August 19, 2010)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51243-51245]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2010-20535]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Trade Mission to the Port of Veracruz

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, 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 
an executive-led trade mission to the Port of Veracruz, Mexico, for 
December 6-9, 2010. This mission is intended to include representatives 
of a variety of U.S. industry and service providers, particularly those 
in the transportation, security, and infrastructure industries. The 
mission will introduce mission participants to end-users and 
prospective partners whose needs and capabilities are targeted to the 
respective U.S. participant's strengths. Participating in an official 
U.S. industry delegation, rather than traveling to the Port of Veracruz 
independently, will enhance the companies' ability to secure meetings 
with the port authorities and the private terminal operators, and 
provide an opportunity to them to tour the port facilities. The mission 
will include meetings with Port of Veracruz operators, industry groups, 
and local companies in Veracruz interested in partnering with U.S. 
companies.

Commercial Setting

    The Port of Veracruz is undergoing an expansion project to increase 
its efficiency and productivity. The project will take about 15-20 
years to be completed, and will require investments of over US $1.2 
billion. This includes the construction of new port facilities in the 
Vergara Bay, just next to the current port location. This project was 
listed as a strategic priority in the National Infrastructure Program 
announced by President Calderon in July 2007.
    In the last 2-3 years, the Port of Veracruz has invested in 
modifying the current facilities to expand general cargo and container 
capacity, and to increase efficiency in all port activities, including 
new facilities for customs and modern gamma ray inspection and 
detection equipment, security and surveillance systems, expanding 
berths, building a 13-kilometer bypass for the City of Veracruz, 
improving railroad access, improving intra-port transit roads and 
remodeling the administration building. At the same time, private 
operators have invested in modern equipment and IT systems for their 
facilities.
    The Port of Veracruz Integral Administration (APIVER) recently 
inaugurated an industrial and logistical area of 307 hectares, located 
2.5 kilometers north of the port's precinct. About 173 hectares will be 
dedicated to building nine logistics centers for containers, 
agricultural and bulk minerals, general cargo, intermodal transfer, an 
automotive logistics center, and related services. This facility has an 
estimated cost of US $600 million.
    Other ongoing or upcoming projects included in the port expansion 
include:

--Building new yards and wharfs for containers, automotive products and 
grains;
--Building a new wharf for tourist use;
--Modernizing the surrounding infrastructure including roads, rail, 
electrical, hydraulic, and sanitary systems, and IT and 
telecommunications systems;
--Increasing the capacity and efficiency of the port itself through 
renovated drainage, electrical, and water systems;
--Increasing vehicle handling capacity;
--Developing a new container terminal for post-Panama ships;

[[Page 51244]]

--Continuous dredging in the basin, channels and wharves to maintain an 
adequate depth.

    The APIVER will also invest over US $50 million in port improvement 
including the construction of internal railways during 2010. Private 
port operators also have their own projects for improving facilities 
and efficiency. Some are waiting for the port expansion to obtain new 
areas in which to expand their own facilities.
    Several products and services expected to have high demand from 
port authorities and operators include:

--CCTV surveillance systems;
--Consulting services for: Efficiency in logistics systems, civil 
protection and safety, financial and statistical planning, waste 
collection and management, hazardous materials handling, maritime 
inspection, operations control, designing of refrigerated warehouses, 
etc.;
--Corrosion detection/protection equipment;
--Corrosion protection systems for cars and machinery parked at the 
port;
--Digital signature systems;
--Equipment for refrigerated warehouses;
--Machinery/equipment maintenance systems;
--Outdoor lighting systems;
--Pollution control systems;
--Pneumatic delivery systems;
--Software for inventory tracking;
--Used mobile railcar movers or Trackmobile;
--Waste and toxic waste management systems.

Special Opportunities

    The APIVER is currently building a 19-kilometer internal rail track 
that will be used by the two railroad companies servicing the port, 
Kansas City Southern Mexico and Ferromex. APIVER expects to issue a 
tender to grant a concession to operate this internal railway in late 
2010. Companies interested in getting this concession should start 
looking for information on how to participate in the bid.
    The State of Veracruz Government is currently building a sports 
marina that will include docks for different-sized ships, a club house, 
nautical services, a hotel and tourist services. The marina is expected 
to be opened early 2011, and a concession will be granted to a private 
operator.

Mission Goals

    The short term goals of the Trade Mission to the Port of Veracruz 
are (1) To introduce U.S. companies to potential end-users, joint-
venture partners and other industry representatives in the Port of 
Veracruz, and (2) to introduce U.S. companies to the industry and 
government officials in Mexico City and the Port of Veracruz to learn 
about various program opportunities in the port industry.

Mission Scenario

    Upon arrival in Mexico City, the U.S. mission members will be 
invited to a networking welcome reception at the residence of the U.S. 
Ambassador, to meet key government and industry contacts in the Mexico 
City area important to ports infrastructure development at the national 
level. Participants will then depart to the Port of Veracruz, for a 
two-day program that will include technical visits with the private 
port operators and industrial groups in Veracruz, and a site visit to 
the Port of Veracruz facilities and to the site where the expansion 
project will be developed. During the meetings, participating companies 
will have the opportunity to make a 5-8 minute presentation of their 
products and services and later meet one-on-one with interested 
clients/partners.
    Matchmaking efforts will involve local companies in Veracruz 
interested in partnering with the U.S. firms. U.S. participants will be 
counseled before and after the mission by the USCS Mexico City officers 
and commercial specialists. The following items are included in the 
price of the trade mission:

--Pre-travel webinar briefing, covering Mexican business practices and 
security.
--Welcome kit with general information about the State of Veracruz.
--Welcome reception at Ambassador's residence.
--Transportation between Mexico City and Veracruz, by bus.
--Lunch with Veracruz industry leaders.
--Networking reception with industry contacts.
--Breakfast with Port of Veracruz operators.
--Technical visit to the Port of Veracruz facilities.
--Reception with State of Veracruz Government officers, port operators 
and industry contacts.
--Pre-scheduled meetings with potential partners, distributors, end 
users, or local industry contacts in the Port of Veracruz.

Proposed Timetable

    The mission program will begin on the evening of December 6, 2010 
and continue through the evening of December 9, 2010.

December 6--Mexico City

Welcome Reception at Ambassador's Residence

December 7--Mexico City-Port of Veracruz

Breakfast on their own
Trip to the Port of Veracruz
Lunch with industry group leaders
Meetings with industry groups
Networking reception with key industry contacts

December 8--Port of Veracruz

Breakfast meeting with Port of Veracruz operators
Technical visit to the Port of Veracruz
Lunch on their own
Free time for further meetings with interested parties
Reception with Government officers, port operators and industry 
contacts

December 9--Port of Veracruz

Breakfast on their own
One-on-one meetings with potential distributors/representatives
Lunch on their own
Return trip to Mexico City

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the Trade Mission to the 
Port of Veracruz must complete and submit an application for 
consideration by U.S. Department of Commerce. All applicants will be 
evaluated on their ability to meet certain conditions and to satisfy 
the selection criteria as outlined below. This mission has a goal of a 
minimum of 12 and a maximum of 15 companies to be selected to 
participate in the mission from the applicant pool. U.S. companies 
already doing business in Mexico as well as U.S. companies seeking to 
enter the market for the first time are encouraged to apply.

Fees and Expenses

    After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a 
payment to U.S. Department of Commerce in the form of a participation 
fee is required. The participation fee will be US $3,100 for large 
firms and $2,500 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) \1\ or 
small organization, which will cover one representative. The fee for 
each additional firm representative (large

[[Page 51245]]

firm or SME) is $350. Expenses for travel to Mexico City, lodging, most 
meals, and incidentals will be the responsibility of each mission 
participant. However, the roundtrip bus from Mexico City to Veracruz 
will be covered by the participation fee.
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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
     Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the trade mission (i.e., the 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, the Maritime Technologies Team, industry 
trade associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at 
industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than October 15, 2010. CS Mexico City will review all 
applications immediately after the deadline. We will inform applicants 
of selection decisions as soon as possible after October 15, 2010. 
Applications received after that date will be considered only if space 
and scheduling constraints permit.

Contacts

U.S. Commercial Service Mexico

Contacts:

Ms. Dinah McDougall, U.S. Commercial Service Mexico, Tel: (011-52-55) 
5140-2620, [email protected].
Ms. Alicia Herrera, U.S. Commercial Service Mexico, Tel: (011-52-55) 
5140-2629, [email protected].

Ryan Kane,
Global Trade Programs, Commercial Service Trade Missions Program.
[FR Doc. 2010-20535 Filed 8-18-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P