[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 247 (Friday, December 23, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 80334-80336]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-32966]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


U.S. Medical Trade Mission to India; Mumbai, New Delhi and 
Hyderabad March 2-8, 2012

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 
a Trade Mission to India from March 2-8, 2012. This will be a non-
executive led mission.
    The Medical Trade Mission to India is intended to include 
representatives from a variety of U.S. medical/healthcare industry 
manufacturers (equipment/devices, laboratory equipments, emergency 
equipment, diagnostic, physiotherapy and orthopedic, healthcare 
information technology, and other allied sectors), service providers, 
and associations and trade organizations. The mission will introduce 
the participants to the government bodies, end-users and prospective 
partners whose needs and capabilities are best suited to each U.S. 
participant's strengths. Participating in an official U.S. industry 
delegation, rather than traveling to India on their own, will enhance 
the participants' ability to secure meetings in India. The delegates 
will meet with government officials to obtain first-hand information 
about the regulations, policies and procedures in the healthcare 
industry. It will be an opportunity for participants to visit 
healthcare facilities to get acquainted with the functioning of 
hospitals in India and the varied standards. Market forces, such as 
medical tourism, insurance and corporate sector have accelerated the 
demand for quality in healthcare services. As a result, there is a 
growing demand from consumers for better healthcare as the lack of 
quality assurance mechanisms limits their access to appropriate health 
services. The Healthcare industry is now proactively creating standards 
for the medical tourism industry with the help of credit rating 
agencies, insurance companies and others involved in the self 
regulation of the sector. The National Accreditation Board for 
Hospitals (NABH) has been set-up to establish and operate accreditation 
programs for healthcare organizations. Some private hospitals are also 
applying for accreditation from bodies such as the Joint Commission 
International (JCI). The mission will include appointments and 
briefings in Mumbai, New Delhi and Hyderabad, India's major healthcare 
industry hubs. Trade mission participants will have the opportunity to 
interact extensively with Embassy/Consulate Officials and Commercial 
Service (CS) India healthcare specialists, to discuss industry 
developments, opportunities, and sales strategies.
    There is an option in the mission to participate in Medical Fair 
India. The Medical Fair India is the 18th International Exhibition and 
Conference on Diagnostic, Medical Technology, Rehabilitation, Medical 
Equipment and Components. MEDICAL FAIR INDIA offers a new platform for 
technology and service solutions for use in the medical engineering 
industry--from new materials, components, intermediate products, 
packaging and services all the way over to more complex micro system 
technology and nanotechnology. For more information on Medical Fair 
India, please visit http://www.medicalfair-india.com/. For the last 
three years the U.S. Department of Commerce has certified the Medical 
Fair India.

Commercial Setting

    The Indian healthcare industry is experiencing a rapid 
transformation and emerging to be a promising market for U.S. suppliers 
of high end products seeking partnership opportunities. The Indian 
healthcare industry is estimated at $50 billion industry in India and 
is expected to reach over $75 billion by 2012. There is a growing 
demand for quality healthcare service. The Indian population of 1 
billion people is growing at a rate of 1.6 percent per year. The growth 
in affluence in India, which now has over 400 million middle-income 
consumers, is creating demand for a higher standard of healthcare. The 
type of healthcare serviced required have changed due to the change in 
the demographic profile of India and the rise of lifestyle-related 
diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and diseases of the 
central nervous system. The number of individuals covered by health 
plans is estimated at 20 million presently, leaving a large portion of 
the Indian population uninsured. The potential market for healthcare 
services, including healthcare information and management systems, is 
expected to grow at a faster pace as hospitals strive to improve 
operational efficiencies in managing patient records and other key 
systems.
    Currently, the medical infrastructure in India is far from adequate 
with demand for hospitals and beds far surpassing availability. The 
problem is most acute in rural India, which accounts for over half of 
India's population; about 80 percent of available hospital beds are 
located in the urban centers, leaving only 20 percent for the larger 
rural population. Both the Indian government and the private sector are 
striving to bring about rapid growth in the industry to manage the 
increased demand for high quality service. Construction of several new 
hospitals as well as upgrades of existing hospitals is planned. 
Healthcare is provided through primary care facilities, secondary and 
tertiary care hospitals. While the first two categories are fully 
managed by the government, tertiary care hospitals are owned and 
managed either by government or private sector.
    The growth in medical infrastructure is accompanied by increased 
demand for medical equipment/devices. The medical equipment segment is 
growing at an impressive rate of 15 percent. The demand for the medical 
equipment is expected to reach $5 billion by 2012, reflecting 
significant growth from the current figure of $2.7 billion. The new 
specialty and super-specialty hospital facilities depend on the import 
of high-

[[Page 80335]]

end medical equipment, which accounts for over 65 percent of the entire 
healthcare market. The demand is primarily for high-tech devices. Most 
Indian healthcare institutes use foreign medical equipment for the 
purpose of diagnosis, treatment and surgery. The government has 
identified healthcare as a priority sector and has taken the following 
measures to promote this industry:
     100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) is permitted 
for health and medical services under the automatic route. (FDI in 
sectors/activities to the extent permitted under automatic route does 
not require any prior approval either by the Government or Reserve Bank 
of India (RBI). The investors are only required to notify the Regional 
Office concerned of RBI within 30 days of receipt of inward remittances 
and file the required documents with that office within 30 days of 
issue of shares of foreign investors.
     The National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has allocated US$ 
10.15 billion for the up- grading and capacity enhancement of 
healthcare facilities
     Moreover, in order to meet the revised cost of 
construction, in March 2010 the Government of India (GOI) allocated an 
additional US$ 1.2 billion for the construction of six All India 
Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS)-like institutes and up-grade of 
13 existing Government Medical Colleges.
    Medical tourism is one of the major external drivers of growth of 
the Indian healthcare sector. The cost of major surgeries in India 
remains relatively low. Government and private sector estimates the 
value of this segment of the industry will reach $1.5 billion by 2012. 
The healthcare industry is now proactively creating standards for the 
medical tourism industry with the help of credit rating agencies, 
insurance companies and others involved in the self regulation of the 
sector. The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals (NABH) has been 
set-up to establish and operate accreditation programs for healthcare 
organizations. Some private hospitals are also applying for 
accreditation from bodies such as the Joint Commission International 
(JCI).
    The growth in this industry makes it very attractive for U.S. 
companies, both large companies already doing business in the market 
but also and especially small- and medium- sized enterprises (SMEs), 
and new-to-market (NTM) companies.

Mission Goals

    The goal of the Medical Trade Mission to India is to (1) 
familiarize the participants with the current healthcare situation as 
well as the developments taking place in India (2) introduce 
participants to government officials in India to learn about various 
regulatory procedures and policies in the healthcare sector (3) 
introduce participants to Indian companies for potential partnerships.

Mission Scenario

    The first stop on the mission itinerary is Mumbai, the financial 
capital of India, located in western India. New Delhi and Hyderabad are 
the second and third stops of the mission and are located in northern 
and western India. Several corporate hospital chains have their 
headquarters in these cities. These include Max group and Medicity 
Medanta in New Delhi, the Apollo group in Hyderabad, Fortis and the 
Tata Research in Mumbai.
    In all three cities the delegates will attend Embassy and industry 
briefings, networking events and take part in business matchmaking 
appointments with private-sector organizations. As New Delhi is the 
capital city and home to Central (Federal) Government, the participants 
will have an opportunity in New Delhi to meet the representatives of 
the Ministry of Health, Drugs Controller Generals Office, and 
Department of Pharmaceutical. The U.S. mission members will learn about 
policies, procedures and opportunities in the country's healthcare 
industry.
    These three cities are each regional hubs for the medical/
healthcare industry. The end-users of the healthcare industry often 
prefer to be serviced by regional distributors/agents rather than 
country-wide distributors. Thus, medical equipment importers/
distributors are based in these cities to supply and service the 
regions surrounding each of the cities. The three cities will serve as 
good locations for business one-on-one matchmaking meetings and 
networking.
    U.S. participants will be counseled before and after the mission by 
U.S. Export Assistance Center trade specialists, primarily by members 
of the Global Healthcare Team. Participation in the mission will 
include the following:
     Pre-travel briefings/webinar on subjects ranging from 
business practices in India to security;
     Embassy/Consulate briefings on the business climate, 
political scenario, medical/healthcare industry scenario;
     Industry briefings ``Doing business in India--focus sector 
medical/healthcare'';
     Pre-scheduled meetings with potential partners, 
distributors, end users, or local industry contacts in Mumbai, New 
Delhi and Hyderabad;
     Meetings with Indian Government officials in New Delhi;
     Tour of hospitals and interaction with senior hospital 
staff and procurement head (all the three stops); and
     Networking receptions in three cities of the trade 
mission.

Proposed Timetable

    Mission participants will be encouraged to arrive Thursday, March 
1, 2012 to allow time to adjust to their new surroundings before the 
mission program begins on Friday, March 2.

Friday, March 2
    Mumbai
    Morning: Consulate & Industry briefing by U.S. Department of 
Commerce at the hotel
    Noon/Afternoon:
    Option I--Trade Mission
    One-on-One business matchmaking appointments at the hotel
    Lunch--private lunch
    Option II--participate/exhibit in Medical Fair 2012 by Messe 
Dusseldorf
    Evening: Networking reception at the hotel
Saturday, March 3
    Mumbai/New Delhi
    Option I--
    Morning: One-on-One business matchmaking appointments at the hotel
    Late afternoon: Check-out of the hotel & depart for Mumbai airport
    Travel to New Delhi
    Evening: Arrive New Delhi
    Option II--participate/exhibit in Medical Fair 2012 by Messe 
Dusseldorf. Delegates in Option 2 depart for New Delhi on Sunday, March 
4, 2011
Sunday, March 4
    New Delhi
    Free day for the delegates in Option 1/Travel Day for the Delegates 
in Option II
Monday, March 5
    New Delhi
    Morning: Breakfast briefing by the U.S. Commercial Service at hotel
    Meetings with the Government of India Ministries
    Lunch: Private lunch
    Afternoon: One-on-one matchmaking meeting at the hotel
    Evening: Networking reception
Tuesday, March 6
    New Delhi/Hyderabad
    Morning: One-on-one matchmaking meeting at the hotel
    Lunch on own
    Late afternoon: Check-out of the hotel & depart for New Delhi 
airport

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    Travel to Hyderabad
    Evening: Arrive Hyderabad
Wednesday, March 7
    Hyderabad
    Morning: One-on-One business matchmaking appointments at the hotel
    Private lunch
    Afternoon: One-on-One business matchmaking appointments at the 
hotel
    Evening: Networking reception
Thursday, March 8
    Hyderabad
    Hospital chain visit and meeting with senior management
    Lunch on own
    Evening: Check-out of the hotel
    Depart for Hyderabad International airport for onward travel

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the India Medical Trade 
Mission must complete and submit an application 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 15 and a maximum of 20 
companies will be selected to participate in the mission from the 
applicant pool. U.S. companies already doing business in India as well 
as U.S. companies seeking to enter the Indian market for the first may 
apply.

Fees and Expenses

    After a company or organization has been selected to participate on 
the mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a 
participation fee is required.
    Option 1: The participation fee for the three city (Mumbai, New 
Delhi and Hyderabad) Trade Mission will be $4,537.00 for a small or 
medium-sized enterprise (SME),* or trade organization, and $5,225.00 
for large firms. The fee for each additional firm representative (large 
firm or SME/trade organization) is $500.
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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/category/navigation-structure/contracting/contracting-officials/size-standards) Parent companies, affiliates, 
and subsidiaries will be considered when determining business size. 
The dual pricing schedule reflects the Commercial Service's user fee 
schedule that became effective May 1, 2008 (for additional 
information see http://www.export.gov/newsletter/march2008/initiatives.html).
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    Option 2: Fee, for participants joining the Trade Mission in two-
cities (Delhi and Hyderabad) will be $3,275.00 for SMEs or trade 
organizations, and $3,950.00 for large companies. The fee for each 
additional firm representative (large firm or SME/trade organization) 
is $500. Selecting option II * in Mumbai i.e. exhibiting in Medical 
Fair India * will be approximately $3,547.00 for 9 sq.m. shell scheme 
space + $578.00 as registration fees (this will be billed in Euros)
    (* Fee for participating in the Medical Fair 2012 is separate and 
will have to be paid directly to the organizers Messe Dusseldorf.)
    Expenses for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and travel (except 
for transportation to and from meetings) will be the responsibility of 
each mission participant.

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, (or in the case 
of a trade association or trade organization, information on the 
products and/or services of the companies to be represented on the 
trade mission), 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 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. In the case of a 
trade association or trade organization, the applicant must certify 
that, for each company to be represented by the trade association or 
trade organization, the products and services the represented company 
seeks to export 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 (or, the case of a trade 
association or trade organization, representing companies') products or 
services to the mission's goals.
     Company's (or, in the case of a trade association or trade 
organization, represented companies') potential for business in India, 
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.
    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 (http://www.gpoaccess.gov/fr), posting on ITA's trade mission calendar--http://www.trade.gov/trade-missions--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.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than December 22, 2011. The U.S. Department of Commerce will 
review applications and make selection decisions on a rolling basis. We 
will inform all applicants of selection decisions as soon as possible 
after the applications are reviewed. Applications received after the 
December 22 deadline will be considered only if space and scheduling 
constraints permit.

Contacts

U.S. Commercial Service Healthcare Team:
    Ms. September Secrist, International Trade Specialist, U.S. 
Commercial Service, U.S. Department of Commerce, 2001 6th Avenue, Suite 
2610, Seattle, WA 98121, Phone: (206) 553-5615 x229, Fax: (206) 553-
7253;
U.S. Commercial Service in India:
    Ms. Ruma Chatterjee, U.S. Commercial Service Mumbai, Ph: 91-22-2265 
2511, Fax: 91-22-22652850, [email protected];
    Mr. Sandeep Maini, U.S. Commercial Service New Delhi, Ph: 91-11-
23472222, Fax: 91-11-23315172, [email protected];
    Ms. Sathya Prabha, U.S. Commercial Service Hyderabad, Ph: 91-40-
23304025, Fax: +91-40-23300130, [email protected].

Elnora Moye,
Trade Program Assistant.
[FR Doc. 2011-32966 Filed 12-22-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P