[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 216 (Wednesday, November 7, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66797-66798]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-27236]


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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Executive-Led Trade Mission to South Africa and Zambia

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) is 
amending notice for the Executive-Led Trade Mission to South Africa and 
Zambia scheduled for November 26-30, 2012, published at 77 FR 31574, 
May 29, 2012, to expand the eligibility to include U.S. trade 
associations and to set a new application deadline for trade 
association applicants only of November 12, 2012.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Frank Spector, Office of Domestic 
Operations, Trade Promotion Programs, Phone: 202-482-2054; Fax: 202-
482-9000, Email: [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The US&FCS has received applications from 
trade associations to participate in the Executive-Led Trade Mission to 
South Africa and Zambia scheduled for November 26-30, 2012, announced 
in the Notice published at 77 FR 31574, May 29, 2012, as previously 
amended by notices at 77 FR 48498 (Aug. 14, 2012) adding the water 
sector as a targeted sector and at 77 FR 60966 (Oct. 5, 2012) extending 
the original application deadline. As previously published, the notice 
addressed only U.S. company eligibility. In response to the interest 
expressed by trade associations, US&FCS is amending the notice to 
expand the eligibility to include U.S. trade associations and to set a 
new application deadline for trade association applicants only of 
November 12, 2012. Applications from U.S. companies were due by October 
12, 2012. US&FCS has been making selection decisions on U.S. company 
applicants on a rolling basis since August 5, 2012. Applications will 
be accepted after the deadline only to the extent that space remains 
and scheduling constraints permit.

Amendments

    For these reasons, the Fees and Expenses, Conditions for 
Participation, Selection Criteria for Participation, and Timeframe for 
Recruitment and Applications sections of the Notice of the Executive-
Led Trade Mission to South Africa and Zambia are amended to read as 
follows:
    Fees and Expenses:
    After a company or trade association 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 is $4900 for large firms and $4,350 for small or 
medium-sized enterprises (SME) \1\ and trade associations. The fee for 
each additional representative (large firm or SME/trade association) is 
$450. Expenses for travel, lodging, some 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/contractingopportunities/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:
    Applicants must submit a completed and signed mission application 
and supplemental application materials,

[[Page 66798]]

including adequate information on the company's (or in the case of a 
trade association, represented companies') products and/or services, 
primary market objectives, and goals for participation. If the 
Department of Commerce receives an incomplete application, the 
Department may either: Reject the application, request additional 
information/clarification, 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, are 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, the applicant must certify that for each company to be 
represented by the association, the products and/or 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:
     Suitability of the company's (or in the case of a trade 
association, represented companies') products or services to the 
mission goals.
     Applicant's (or in the case of a trade association, 
represented companies') potential for business in South Africa and 
Zambia, including likelihood of exports resulting from the mission.
     Consistency of the applicant's (or in the case of a trade 
association, represented companies') goals and objectives with the 
stated scope of the mission.
    Diversity of company size, sector or subsector, and location may 
also be considered during the review process.
    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--www.ita.doc.gov/doctm/tmcal.html--
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 began in March 2012 and concluded 
October 12, 2012 for U.S. company participants. The U.S. Department of 
Commerce began reviewing applications and making selection decisions on 
a rolling basis beginning August 6, 2012, until the maximum of 20 
participants is selected. For U.S. trade associations only, 
applications will be accepted until November 12, 2012. Applications 
received by U.S. companies after October 12, 2012 and by U.S. trade 
associations after November 12, 2012, will be considered only if space 
and scheduling constraints permit.

Frank Spector,
Senior International Trade Specialist.
[FR Doc. 2012-27236 Filed 11-6-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FP-P