[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 241 (Monday, December 16, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Pages 68393-68395]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-27013]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Announcement of Trade Mission to the Caribbean Region in 
Conjunction With the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in the 
Caribbean Region Conference

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration (ITA) is announcing the following upcoming trade mission 
that will be recruited, organized, and implemented by ITA:

Trade Mission to the Caribbean Region in conjunction with the Trade 
Americas--Business Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference--
May 31-June 5, 2020

    A summary of the mission is found below. Application information 
and more detailed mission information, including the commercial setting 
and sector information, can be found at the trade mission website: 
http://export.gov/trademissions.
    Recruitment for the mission 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/trademissions) and other internet websites, 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.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gemal Brangman, Trade Promotion 
Programs, Industry and Analysis, International Trade Administration, 
U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 
20230; telephone (202) 482-3773.

The Following Conditions for Participation Will Be Used for Each 
Mission

    Applicants must submit a completed and signed mission application 
and supplemental application materials, including adequate information 
on their 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 application. If the requisite minimum 
number of participants is not selected for the mission by the 
recruitment deadline, the mission may be cancelled.
    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 by value. In the case of a 
trade association or organization, the applicant must certify that, for 
each firm or service provider to be represented by the association/
organization, the products and/or services the represented firm or 
service provider 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 51% U.S. content by value.
    A trade association/organization applicant must certify to the 
above for all of the companies it seeks to represent on the mission.
    In addition, each applicant must:
     Certify that the export of the products and services that 
it wishes to market through the mission would be in compliance with 
U.S. export controls and regulations;
     Certify that it has identified any matter pending before 
any bureau or office in the Department of Commerce;
     Certify that it has identified any pending litigation 
(including any administrative proceedings) to which it is a party that 
involves the Department of Commerce; and
     Sign and submit an agreement that it and its affiliates 
(1) have not and will not engage in the bribery of foreign officials in 
connection with a company's/participant's involvement in this mission, 
and (2) maintain and enforce a policy that prohibits the bribery of 
foreign officials.
    In the case of a trade association/organization, the applicant must 
certify that each firm or service provider to be represented by the 
association/organization can make the above certifications.

The Following Selection Criteria Will Be Used for the Mission

    Targeted mission participants are U.S. firms, services providers, 
and trade associations/organizations providing or promoting U.S. 
products and services, that have an interest in entering or expanding 
their business in the mission's destination countries. The following 
criteria will be evaluated in selecting participants:
     Suitability of the applicant's (or in the case of a trade 
association/organization, represented firms' or service providers') 
products or services to these markets;
     The applicant's (or in the case of a trade association/
organization, represented firms' or service providers') potential for 
business in the markets, including likelihood of exports resulting from 
the mission; and
     Consistency of the applicant's (or in the case of a trade 
association/organization, represented firms' or service providers') 
goals and objectives with the stated scope of the mission.
    Balance of company size and location may also be considered during 
the review process. Referrals from a political party or partisan 
political group or any information, including on the application, 
containing references to political contributions or other partisan 
political activities will be excluded from the application and will not 
be considered during the selection process. The sender will be notified 
of these exclusions.

Trade Mission Participation Fees

    If and when an applicant is selected to participate on a particular 
mission, a payment to the Department of Commerce in the amount of the 
designated participation fee below is required. Upon notification of 
acceptance to participate, each applicant selected has 5 business days 
to submit payment or the acceptance may be revoked.
    Participants selected for a trade mission will be expected to pay 
for the cost of personal expenses, including, but not limited to, 
international travel, lodging, meals, transportation, communication, 
and incidentals, unless otherwise noted. Participants will, however, be 
able to take advantage of U.S. Government rates for hotel rooms. In the 
event that a mission is cancelled, no personal expenses paid in 
anticipation of a mission will be reimbursed. However, participation 
fees for a cancelled mission will be reimbursed to the extent they have 
not already been expended in anticipation of the mission.

[[Page 68394]]

    If a visa is required to travel on a particular mission, applying 
for and obtaining such a visa will be the responsibility of the mission 
participant. Government fees and processing expenses to obtain such a 
visa are not included in the participation fee. However, the Department 
of Commerce will provide instructions to each participant on the 
procedures required to obtain business visas. Trade Mission members 
participate in trade missions and undertake mission-related travel at 
their own risk. The nature of the security situation in a given foreign 
market at a given time cannot be guaranteed. The U.S. Government does 
not make any representations or guarantees as to the safety or security 
of participants. The U.S. Department of State issues U.S. Government 
international travel alerts and warnings for U.S. citizens available at 
https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings.html. Any 
question regarding insurance coverage must be resolved by the 
participant and its insurer of choice.

Definition of Small and Medium Sized Enterprise

    For purposes of assessing participation fees, an applicant is a 
small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) if it qualifies under the Small 
Business Administration's (SBA) size standards (https://www.sba.gov/document/support--table-size-standards), which vary by North American 
Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code. The SBA Size Standards 
Tool [https://www.sba.gov/size-standards/] can help you determine the 
qualifications that apply to your company.
    Mission List: (additional information about the mission can be 
found at http://export.gov/trademissions).

Trade Mission to the Caribbean Region in Conjunction With the Trade 
Americas--Business Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference, 
Dates: May 31-June 5, 2020

Summary

    The U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, is 
organizing a trade mission to the Caribbean region that will include 
participation in the Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in the 
Caribbean Region Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados on May 31-June 1, 
2020.
    The conference will focus on region-specific sessions, market 
access, fair trade, disaster preparedness and recovery, logistics, and 
trade financing resources as well as prearranged one-one-one 
consultations with US&FCS Commercial Officers and/or Department of 
State Economic/Commercial Officers with expertise in markets throughout 
the region. The mission is open to U.S. companies from a cross-section 
of industries with growth potential in the Caribbean region, but is 
focused on U.S. companies in best prospects sectors such as automotive 
parts and services, construction equipment/road building machinery/
building products/infrastructure projects, medical equipment and 
devices/pharmaceuticals, ICT, energy equipment and services, safety and 
security equipment, hotel and restaurant equipment, franchising, 
manufacturing equipment, yachting industry/maritime services/sailing 
equipment, marine ports, aviation/airports, waste management, and water 
treatment and supply. All selected trade mission participants will 
attend the conference in Barbados and will have business-to-business 
meetings in up to two markets in the region, selecting from: Barbados/
Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, 
Suriname, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago.
    The combination of participation in the Trade Americas--Business 
Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Conference and business-to-
business matchmaking appointments in the Caribbean region markets, will 
provide participants with access to substantive information about and 
strategies for entering or expanding their business across the 
Caribbean region. The United States holds a dominant supplier position 
in the Caribbean region.

                           Proposed Timetable
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Saturday, May 30, 2020.................  Travel Day/Arrival in Barbados.
                                          Optional Local Tour/
                                          Activities.
Sunday, May 31, 2020...................  Barbados. Afternoon:
                                          Registration, Briefing and
                                          U.S. Embassy Officer
                                          Consultations. Evening:
                                          Networking Reception.
Monday, June 1, 2020...................  Barbados. Morning: Registration
                                          and Trade Americas--U.S.-
                                          Caribbean Business Conference.
                                          Afternoon: U.S. Embassy
                                          Officer Consultations.
                                          Evening: Networking Reception.
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                                Optional
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Tuesday, June 2, 2020..................  Barbados/Eastern Caribbean
                                          Region Business-to-Business
                                          Meetings or Travel day.
June 3-5, 2020.........................  Travel day or Business-to-
                                          Business Meetings in: Option
                                          (A) Dominican Republic. Option
                                          (B) Guyana. Option (C) Haiti.
                                          Option (D) Jamaica. Option (E)
                                          Suriname. Option (F) The
                                          Bahamas. Option (H) Trinidad &
                                          Tobago.
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Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the U.S. Department of 
Commerce Trade Mission to the Caribbean Region 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.
    A minimum of 20 and a maximum of 30 companies will be selected to 
participate in the mission on a first-come first-serve basis. During 
the registration process, applicants will be able to select what 
countries for which they would like to receive a brief market 
assessment. Once they receive their brief market assessment report, 
they will be able to select up to two markets to which they would like 
to travel for their business to business meetings.
    All selected participants will attend the conference in Barbados 
and will have business-to-business meetings in up to two markets in the 
region.
    The number of companies that may be selected for each country are 
as follows: 20 Companies for Barbados/Eastern Caribbean; 30 companies 
for the Dominican Republic; 5 companies for Guyana; 5 companies for 
Haiti; 5 companies for Jamaica; 5 companies for Suriname; 5 companies 
for The Bahamas; and 5 companies for Trinidad and Tobago.

[[Page 68395]]

    The Trade Mission is open to U.S. companies already doing business 
in the region that are seeking to expand their market share and to 
those U.S. companies new to the region.

Fees and Expenses

    After a company has been selected to participate on the mission, a 
payment to the Department of Commerce in the form of a participation 
fee is required.
    For business-to-business meetings in one market, the participation 
fee will be $2,300 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)* and 
$3,500 for a large firm.
    For business-to-business meetings in two markets, the participation 
fee will be $3,300 for a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME) * and 
$4,500 for a large firm.
    The mission participation fee includes a brief market assessment 
for the countries that were selected in the registration process, 
market briefings, networking receptions, lunch and coffee breaks during 
the conference, interpretation and transportation associated with the 
business-to-business meetings in the region, and U.S. Embassy officer 
consultations.
    The Trade Americas--Business Opportunities in the Caribbean Region 
Conference registration fee is $650 for one participant from each firm.
    There will be a $300 fee for each additional firm representative 
(large firm or SME) that wishes to participate in business-to-business 
meetings.

Timeframe for Recruitment and Application

    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 on www.export.gov, the Trade Americas 
web page at http://export.gov/tradeamericas/index.asp, and other 
internet websites, press releases to the general and trade media, 
direct mail and broadcast fax, notices by industry trade associations 
and other multiplier groups and announcements at industry meetings, 
symposia, conferences, and trade shows.
    Recruitment for the mission will begin immediately and conclude no 
later than Friday, April 17, 2020. The U.S. Department of Commerce will 
review applications and make selection decisions on a rolling basis 
until the maximum of 30 participants are selected. After April 17, 
2020, companies will be considered only if space and scheduling 
constraints permit.

Contacts

    U.S. Trade Americas Team Contact Information:

Delia Valdivia, Senior International Trade Specialist, U.S. Commercial 
Service--Los Angeles (West), CA, [email protected], Tel: 310-
597-8218

Diego Gattesco, Director, U.S. Commercial Service--Wheeling, WV, 
[email protected], Tel: 304-243-5493

    Caribbean Region Contact Information:

Bryan Larson, Regional Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial 
Service--U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 
[email protected]

Sheila Diaz, Senior Commercial Specialist, U.S. Commercial Service--
U.S. Embassy Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, [email protected]

Tiara Hampton-Diggs,
Program Specialist, Trade Promotion Programs.
[FR Doc. 2019-27013 Filed 12-13-19; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P