[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 48 (Thursday, March 12, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12978-12979]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-05594]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE


U.S. Education Mission to Western Europe; Portugal, Spain, United 
Kingdom, France (Optional)

September 21-25, 2015.
AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The United States (U.S.) Department of Commerce, International 
Trade Administration, is organizing an education mission to Portugal, 
Spain, United Kingdom (UK) with an optional stop to France. The 
Department of Commerce is partnering with the Department of State's 
EducationUSA Advising Centers in Portugal, Spain, and France and the 
Fulbright Commission in the UK to connect schools directly with 
potential students at fairs and provide market insight. The mission 
coincides with two popular European student fairs; Fulbright UK's 
College Day and the Council of International Schools (CIS) Paris fair. 
The mission schedule allows schools to consider attending these fairs 
as they are an additional opportunity to directly interact with 
potential students. However, participation is not required and 
registration and fees for both fairs is handled directly by the 
organizer and is at their discretion. This trade mission emphasizes 
U.S. higher education, focusing on undergraduate programs and community 
colleges. Institutions seeking to participate should be accredited by a 
recognized accreditation body listed in Council for Higher Education 
Accreditation (CHEA) or Accrediting Council for Education and Training 
(ACCET), in the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors 
(ASPA), or any accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of 
Education.

Mission Scenario

    Participation in the mission will include the following:

 Pre-travel briefings/webinars
 U.S. Embassy/consulate and industry briefings
 Reception with Ambassador or other high ranking official (if 
available)
 Student Fairs and local visits (see itinerary)
 Some transportation
 Optional stop in Paris with student workshop EducationUSA, 
presentations.

Proposed Mission Schedule--September 21-25, 2015

Lisbon, Portugal--September 21, 2015
Sunday, September 20, 2015
    --Arrive in Lisbon, Portugal and check into hotel
Monday, September 21, 2015 Lisbon, Portugal
    9:00 a.m. Briefing with U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service and 
Public Affairs (Transportation to U.S. Embassy provided)
    10:30 a.m. One-on-One meetings (U.S. Embassy)
    12:30 p.m. Working Lunch (U.S. Embassy)
    2:00 p.m. Site Visit
    6:00 p.m. Education Fair organized by EducationUSA (Transportion 
provided)
Madrid, Spain
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
    8:00 a.m. Depart Lisbon, Portugal for Madrid, Spain (transportation 
from hotel to airport in Lisbon and from airport to hotel in Madrid 
provided)
    11:30 a.m. Briefing (Hotel)
    1:45 p.m. Working Lunch (Hotel)
    3:00 p.m. One-to-One Meetings (Hotel)
    5:30 p.m. EducationUSA fair (International Center School)
Barcelona, Spain
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
    8:00 a.m. Travel to Barcelona (transport from hotel to train 
station provided in Madrid and from train station to hotel in 
Barcelona) (Recommended: High-speed train arrive 10:40), Hotel Check-in
    11:45 a.m. One-to-One mtgs
    4:00 p.m. EducationUSA Fair
    8:00 p.m. Consulate General No Host event or networking
London, United Kingdom
Thursday, Sept 24
    8:00 a.m. Depart Barcelona (Transportation from hotel to airport 
provided)
    10:00 a.m. Arrive in London, UK (travel on own to hotel and to U.S. 
Embassy)
    12:00 a.m. Working Lunch (U.S. Embassy)
    1:00 p.m. Round Table Discussion with UK Industry Partners (U.S. 
Embassy)
    2:30 p.m. Briefings with CS, Consular, Public Affairs (U.S. 
Embassy)
    5:00 p.m. No host Dinner or free time
Friday, Sept 25
    9:00 a.m. Arrive at U.S. Embassy, Travel to Site visit to local 
sixth form college (transportation provided)
    12:30 p.m. Official End of Mission

    ** From here participants may continue on own itinerary back to 
U.S. or other destinations, attend one or both of the following fairs, 
and/or continue on to optional stop in France on their own.**

Optional Fairs With Separate Registration in UK and France

Friday, September 25-Saturday, September 26, 2015
    Fulbright UK's Annual College Days (Earl's Court Conference Center 
London, UK)

Sunday, September 27, 2015
    CIS Fair (Hotel Renaissance Paris, France)
Paris, France (Optional Stop)
Monday, September 28, 2015
    9:00 a.m. Breakfast Briefing with U.S. and Foreign Commercial 
Service and Public Affairs (George Marshall Center)
    11:00 a.m. One-on-One meetings (George Marshall Center)
    12:30 p.m. Lunch
    1:30 p.m. Resume Meetings
    5:00 p.m. EducationUSA Student Workshop (George Marshall Center)
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
    --Departure to USA

    This mission will seek to connect U.S. higher education 
institutions to potential students and university/institution partners 
in Western Europe. The mission will include student fairs organized by 
EducationUSA, individualized meetings in the selected markets, U.S. 
Embassy briefings, site visits, and networking events. Lisbon, Madrid, 
Barcelona, London, and Paris are the cities targeted for recruiting 
students to the United States.

Mission Goals

    The goals of the U.S. Education Mission to Europe are: (1) To help 
participants gain market exposure and to introduce participants to the 
vibrant

[[Page 12979]]

European market in the cities of Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, London, and 
Paris; (2) to help participants assess current and future business 
prospects by establishing valuable contacts with prospective students 
and educational institutions/partners; and (3) to help participants 
develop market knowledge and relationships leading to student 
recruitment and potential partnerships.

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the mission to Europe 
must submit a complete application package for consideration to 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. The mission will open on a rolling basis to 
a minimum of 13 and a maximum of 15 appropriately accredited U.S. 
educational institutions. Both U.S. educational institutions already 
recruiting students and developing partnerships in the region and those 
who are new to recruiting and developing partnerships in the region may 
apply.

Selection Criteria for Participation

     Consistency of the applicant's goals and objectives with 
the stated scope of the mission.
     Applicant's potential for doing business in Western 
Europe, including the likelihood of service exports (education)/
knowledge transfer resulting from 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 will 
not be considered during the selection process.

Conditions for Participation

    An applicant must submit a timely, completed, and signed mission 
application with supplemental application materials, including adequate 
information on course offerings, primary market objectives, and goals 
for participation. The institution must have appropriate accreditation 
as specified above. The institution must be represented at the student 
fair by an employee. No agents will be allowed to represent a school on 
the mission or participate at the student fair. Agents will also not be 
allowed into the fairs to solicit new partnerships. 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.
    Participants must travel to stops in Portugal, Spain, United 
Kingdom on the mission. France is the only optional stop.
    Each applicant must certify that the 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 51 
percent U.S. content of the value of the service.

Fees and Expenses

    After an institution has been selected to participate on the 
mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a 
participation fee is required. The participation fee is $2,895 for one 
principal representative from each non-profit educational institution 
or educational institution with less than 500 employees and $2,927 for 
for-profit universities with over 500 employees.\1\ An institution can 
choose to participate in the optional stop in France for an additional 
$1,009 for one principal representative from each non-profit 
educational institution or educational institution with less than 500 
employees and $1,026 for for-profit universities with over 500 
employees. The fee for each additional representative is $500. Expenses 
for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and all travel (except 
transportation previously noted) will be the responsibility of each 
mission participant. The U.S. Department of Commerce can facilitate 
government rates in some hotels.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \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. Non-
profit educational institutions will be considered SMEs for purposes 
of this guidance. 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).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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://export.gov/industry/education/) and other Internet Web sites, press releases to general and 
trade media, direct mail, 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 July 1, 2015. Applications for 
the mission will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications received 
after July 1, 2015, will be considered only if space and scheduling 
constraints permit.

Contact Information

U.S. Export Assistance Centers
Ms. Amy Freedman, Cleveland USEAC, 216-522-4737, International Trade 
Specialist, [email protected].
Ms. Jennifer Moll, Detroit USEAC, 313-212-8693, Senior International 
Trade Specialist, [email protected].
Mrs. Gabriela Zelaya, San Jose USEAC, 408-535-2757, ext. 107, 
International Trade Specialist, [email protected].
U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service in Europe
Ms. Janee Pierre-Louis, France, 33 (0)1 43 12 70 87, Commercial 
Officer, [email protected].
Ms. Isabelle Singletary, France, [33] (0)1 43 12 70 63, Commercial 
Information Mgmt Specialist, [email protected].
Mr. Pedro Ferreira, Portugal, [351] (21) 770-2572, Senior Commercial 
Specialist, Lisbon, [email protected].
Mr. Jesus Garcia, Spain, 34-91-3081578, Senior Commercial Specialist, 
[email protected].
Mrs. Chrystal Denys, United Kingdom, 44 20 7894 0432, Commercial 
Specialist, [email protected].

Frank Spector,
Trade Programs & Strategic Partnerships.
[FR Doc. 2015-05594 Filed 3-11-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P