[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 184 (Thursday, September 22, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58776-58778]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-24297]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S. Aerospace Supplier & Investment Mission

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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Mission Description

    The U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS) is organizing 
a U.S. Aerospace Supplier & Investment Mission to Montreal, Canada, May 
6-9, 2012. This aerospace mission is an ideal opportunity for U.S. 
aerospace companies to gain valuable international business leads in a 
low risk, highly important international aerospace market. Canada has 
the fifth largest aerospace industry in the world; in 2009 it generated 
over $22 billion in revenues. Participating U.S. companies will receive 
market briefings by Canadian industry experts, seminars on exporting 
best practices, participate in one-on-one meetings with Canadian 
aerospace supply chain contacts, engage in networking activities and 
visit key Canadian aerospace OEM plants such as Bombardier. This 
mission is designed to provide U.S. aerospace companies with a highly 
effective and unique opportunity to establish supplier relations with 
major Canadian aerospace companies.

Commercial Setting

    The United States and Canada share the largest and most dynamic 
commercial relationship in the world; 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. 
The aerospace sector is one of Canada's best prospects for U.S. 
exporters.
    Canada is a world leader in business and regional aircraft, 
commercial helicopters, turbine engines, flight simulators, avionics, a 
broad range of aircraft systems and components. The United States is 
Canada's largest supplier of aircraft parts and components; on average, 
Canadian aerospace companies purchase more than 50% of their inputs 
from the United States. In 2010, U.S.-Canada aerospace bilateral trade 
exceeded $10 billion, and total U.S. aerospace exports to Canada were 
slightly more than $5.5 billion. Canada was the United States' 5th 
largest aerospace export market, and in many aerospace sub-markets was 
often in the top 5. Industry estimates expected Canada's aerospace 
sector to continue growing slowly in the second half of 2011, and post 
more aggressive growth rates in 2012; by 2015 the Canadian aerospace 
industry is expected to reach pre-2008 growth rates. Furthermore, 
industry analysts are predicting long term growth in commercial 
aircraft production over the next 20 years; since Canada's aerospace 
sector is 83% civil, this anticipated trend will bode well for Canada 
and for U.S. companies exporting to this market.
    Quebec and Ontario are at the heart of the Canadian aerospace 
industry with about 51% and 29% of local production respectively. 
Montreal is the world's third largest aerospace cluster after Toulouse 
and Seattle, and is the only place in the world where an entire 
aircraft can be assembled within a 30-mile radius. 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 Canada, and many other suppliers.

[[Page 58777]]

    Canada's geographic proximity, open market economy, stable business 
climate and receptivity to U.S. goods and services make it an ideal 
market for achieving the National Export Initiative goals. The North 
American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) allows for U.S. products to enter 
Canada duty-free and therefore further contributes to the relatively 
low-cost, low-risk, access that U.S. SMEs can use to prosper and grow 
in this foreign marketplace.

Mission Goals

    The trade mission's goal is to advance the National Export 
Initiative by providing U.S. suppliers of aerospace products the 
opportunity to meet with key potential customers such as Canadian 
aerospace OEMs, sales agents and distributors and obtain export 
successes in 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. Participants will receive a 
briefing by a panel of experts on the Canadian, Quebec and Ontario 
aerospace markets, an overview of doing business in Canada, and 
seminars with additional key information for U.S. exporters. It will 
also include one-on-one business meetings between U.S. participants and 
potential Canadian business partners, networking opportunities, and 
tours of some of the largest aerospace OEMs, where companies will have 
the opportunity to meet senior representatives and learn about planned 
projects and expected procurement needs. Please see the timetable below 
with detailed information on the program. Prior to the end of the 
mission, Commercial Service staff will counsel participants on follow-
up.

Proposed Timetable

    The proposed schedule allows for three days in Montreal and 
describes the programming planned for participating U.S. companies.

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Sunday, May 6..........................  Participants arrive in
                                          Montreal.
                                         6 p.m. No-Host Ice Breaker and
                                          No-Host Dinner.
Monday, May 7..........................  8:00-8:30 Mission Welcoming
                                          Remarks by Consul General/SCO
                                          & Mission Logistics Briefing.
                                         8:30-9:30 Presentation: Doing
                                          Business in Canada.
                                         9:30-10:30 Presentations:
                                          Trends in the Canadian
                                          Aerospace Sector Panel.
                                         10:30-11:00 Coffee Break--
                                          Networking.
                                         11:00-12:30 Presentations:
                                          Canada's Aerospace Market,
                                          Quebec's Aerospace Market,
                                          Ontario's Aerospace Market.
                                         12:30-13:30 Lunch Break (on
                                          their own).
                                         14:00-16:00 Seminars: Exporting
                                          to Canada Best Practices.
Tuesday, May 8.........................  Program for U.S. Companies.
                                         8:30-12:00 Business Matchmaking
                                          Appointments.
                                         12:00--14:00 General Event
                                          Networking Lunch.
                                         14:00-16:30 Business
                                          Matchmaking Appointments.
                                         17:30-19:30 General Event
                                          Reception hosted by CG.
Wednesday, May 9.......................  9:00-15:00 Plant Tours of
                                          Canadian aerospace OEMs for
                                          U.S. Companies.
                                         16:00-16:30 Mission Debriefing
                                          at Hotel.
                                         Program End.
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Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the U.S. aerospace trade 
and investment mission must complete and submit an application form for 
consideration by the Department of Commerce. All applicants will be 
evaluated on their ability to satisfy the selection criteria as 
outlined below. This mission has a goal of a minimum of 15 and maximum 
of 18 companies.
    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 $2,800 for large 
firms and $2,200 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)\*\, for 
up to two company representatives. The fee for any additional 
representative is $250. Expenses for travel, lodging, in-country 
transportation (except for bus transportation to visit local aerospace 
OEMs on the third 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 Trade 
Mission application 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 for Participation

    For Companies:
     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

    Recruitment will be conducted in an open and public manner, 
including publication in the Federal Register,

[[Page 58778]]

posting on the Commerce Department trade mission calendar (http://export.gov/trademissions/eg_main_023185.asp) and other Internet Web 
sites, press releases to general and trade media, direct mail, industry 
trade associations and other multiplier groups, and publicity at 
industry meetings, symposia, conferences, and trade shows. CS Canada 
intends to conduct a webinar on ``Opportunities in the Canadian 
Aerospace Market'' to supplement recruitment efforts in January 2012.
    The mission recruitment will be open on a first-come, first-served 
basis. Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and close on 
February 1, 2012. Applications received after February 1, 2012 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.
    Information can also be obtained by contacting the mission contacts 
listed below.
    Contacts: A Gina Rebelo Bento, Commercial Specialist--Aerospace, 
U.S. Consulate General in Montreal, PO Box 65, Desjardins Station, 
Montreal, QC H5B 1G1, Tel: 514-908-3660, E-mail: 
[email protected].

Elnora Moye,
Commercial Servicie Trade Mission Program, U.S. Department of Commerce.
[FR Doc. 2011-24297 Filed 9-21-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P