[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 89 (Friday, May 8, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26539-26541]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-11070]


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 DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Education Trade Mission to Africa, March 7-10, 2016

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, is organizing an education mission to South Africa and 
Ghana with an optional stop in the C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire. Department of 
Commerce is partnering with the Department of State's EducationUSA 
Advising Centers in each location. This trade mission will be led by a 
senior Department of Commerce official and the emphasis will be on 
higher education programs, community college programs and summer, 
undergraduate and graduate programs.
    This mission will seek to connect U.S. higher education 
institutions to potential students and university/institution partners 
in these three African countries. The mission will include student 
fairs organized by Education USA, embassy briefings, site visits, and 
networking events in our target cities of Johannesburg, Accra, and 
Abidjan. Participation in the Education Mission to these nations, 
rather than traveling independently to each market, will enhance the 
ability of participants to secure appropriate meetings with productive 
contacts in the target markets.
    Summer programs seeking to participate should be appropriately 
accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the U.S. Department 
of Education. Community colleges, undergraduate and graduate programs 
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.
    The delegation will include representatives from approximately 25 
different educational institutions.

Mission Goals

    The goals of the United States Education Mission to Africa are: (1) 
To help participants gain market exposure and to introduce participants 
to the vibrant African market in the countries of South Africa, Ghana, 
and C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire (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.

[[Page 26540]]

Proposed Mission Schedule--March 6 to 12, 2016

Johannesburg, South Africa--March 6-8, 2016

Sunday, March 6, 2016 Johannesburg
     Arrive in Johannesburg.
     Check into hotel.
Monday, March 7, 2016 Johannesburg
     Welcome and Briefing from the U.S. and Foreign Commercial 
Service.
     Visit to Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy.
     Visit to schools.
     Networking reception.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016 Johannesburg.
     Additional visits to schools.
     Education Fair.
     Travel to Accra, Ghana.

Accra, Ghana--Wednesday, March 9-10, 2016

Wednesday, March 9, 2016 Accra
     Travel recovery.
     Welcome and briefing from the U.S. and Foreign Commercial 
Service.
     Visits to schools.
     Reception at the U.S. Ambassador's residence.
Thursday, March 10, 2016 Accra
     Education Fair.
     Depart to Abidjan, C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire for optional stop 
or return to the United States on own itinerary.

Official Trade Mission Ends

Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire (OPTIONAL)

Friday, March 11, 2016 Abidjan
    Welcome and briefing from the U.S. Department of State 
(EducationUSA)
     Visits to schools.
     Education Fair.
     Reception.
Saturday, March 12, 2016
     Departure to the USA.

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the Education Trade 
Mission to Africa must complete and submit an application package 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. The mission will open on a 
rolling basis to a minimum of 20 and a maximum of 25 appropriately 
accredited U.S. educational institutions. U.S. educational institutions 
already recruiting in Africa, as well as U.S. education institutions 
seeking to enter the African market for the first time, may apply.

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 $2,800 for one 
principal representative from each non-profit educational institution 
or educational institution with less than 500 employees and $3,300 for 
for-profit universities with over 500 employees.\1\ An institution can 
choose to participate in the optional stop in Cote d'Ivoire for an 
additional $1,800 for one principal representative from each non-profit 
educational institution or educational institution with less than 500 
employees and $1,900 for for-profit universities with over 500 
employees. The fee for each additional representative is $600. Expenses 
for lodging, some meals, incidentals, and all travel (except for 
transportation to and from airports in-country, previously noted) will 
be the responsibility of each mission participant. The U.S. Department 
of Commerce can facilitate government rates in some hotels.
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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. 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).
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Conditions of Participation

    An applicant must submit a timely, completed and signed mission 
application and supplemental application materials, including adequate 
information on course offerings, primary market objectives, and goals 
for participation. The institution must have appropriate accreditation 
as specified per paragraph one 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 both stops in South Africa and Ghana on 
the mission. C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire 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.

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 Africa, 
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.

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 January 15, 2016. Applications 
for the mission will be accepted on a rolling basis. Applications 
received after January 15, 2016, will be considered only if space and 
scheduling constraints permit.

Contacts

CS Portland, Jennifer Woods, Senior International Trade Specialist, 
U.S. Commercial Service Portland, 503-326-5290, 
[email protected]
CS Ft. Lauderdale, Tyler Hacking, Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial 
Service Ft. Lauderdale, 954-356-6645, [email protected]
CS South Africa (Johannesburg), Mike Calvert, Commercial Officer, U.S. 
Commercial Service South Africa (Johannesburg), (+27) 11 290-3062, 
[email protected]
Sanjay Harryparshard, U.S. Commercial Service South Africa 
(Johannesburg), [email protected]
CS Ghana, Joseph Snapp, Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service 
Ghana, +233 (0) 30 274 1329, [email protected]

[[Page 26541]]

Paul Taylor, Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service Ghana, 
+233-302-741-086, [email protected]
C[ocirc]te d'Ivoire, Nina Toyo, EducationUSA Advisor, U.S. Embassy 
Abidjan, (225) 22 49 41 45, [email protected]


Frank Spector,
Trade Promotion Programs.
[FR Doc. 2015-11070 Filed 5-7-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-FR-P