[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 226 (Monday, November 27, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 82829-82831]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-26062]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Announcement of Approved International Trade Administration Trade 
Mission

AGENCY: International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce.

SUMMARY: The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration (ITA), is announcing one upcoming trade mission that 
will be recruited, organized, and implemented by ITA. This mission is: 
Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Trade Mission and Business Development Forum 
to Istanbul, T[uuml]rkiye May 9-17, 2024. 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: https://www.trade.gov/trade-missions. For this 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 (https://www.trade.gov/trade-missions-schedule) 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: Jeffrey Odum, Trade Events Task Force, 
International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, 1401 
Constitution Avenue NW, Washington DC 20230; telephone (202) 482-6397 
or email [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

The Following Conditions for Participation Will Be Used for the 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 that is adequate to allow the Department of Commerce 
to evaluate their application. If the Department of Commerce receives 
an incomplete application, the Department of Commerce 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 a particular 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 every company it seeks to represent on the mission. In 
addition, each applicant must:
     Certify that 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

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promoting U.S. products and services that have an interest in entering 
or expanding their business in the mission's destination markets. The 
following criteria will be evaluated in selecting participants:
     Suitability of the applicant's (or in the case of a trade 
association/organization, represented firm's or service provider's) 
products or services to these markets;
     The applicant's (or in the case of a trade association/
organization, represented firm's or service provider's) 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 firm's or service provider's) 
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 applicant will be notified of these exclusions. 
The Department of Commerce will evaluate applications and inform 
applicants of selection decisions on a rolling basis until the maximum 
number of participants has been selected.

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 as a ``small 
business'' 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 trade missions can be 
found at https://www.trade.gov/trade-missions).

Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Trade Mission and Business Development Forum 
to Istanbul, T[uuml]rkiye--May 9-17, 2024

Summary

    The United States Department of Commerce, International Trade 
Administration (ITA), U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (USFCS) is 
organizing a Trade Winds Europe/EurasiaTrade Mission that will include 
the Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Business Forum in Istanbul, 
T[uuml]rkiye, Monday, May 13-Wednesday, May 15.
    All trade mission members will participate in the Trade Winds 
Europe/Eurasia Business Forum (Monday, May 13-Wednesday, March 15 in 
Istanbul, which will also be open to U.S. companies not participating 
in the trade mission. Trade mission members may travel first to Italy 
or Romania on May 9 for spins-offs and/or travel on Thursday, May 16 to 
Denmark, Kazakhstan or Poland.
    The Istanbul Trade Winds Forum will feature U.S. Commercial 
Diplomats from over 25 Europe and Eurasia markets.
    Trade mission participants may participate in their choice of 
mission stops based on recommendations from the USFCS. Each trade 
mission stop will include one-on-one business appointments with pre-
screened potential buyers, agents, distributors and joint-venture 
partners, and networking events. Companies that would like to 
participate in more than three mission stops can do so by having 
additional representatives travel to the various stops.
    This mission is open to U.S. companies from a cross section of 
industries with growth potential in Europe and Eurasia, including but 
not limited to: advanced manufacturing, aerospace & defense, design & 
construction, energy/energy security, environmental/clean technologies, 
information & communication technologies, and healthcare.
    Website: Please visit our official mission website for more 
information: https://events.trade.gov/TradeWindsEuropeEurasia.

Proposed Timetable:

    This timetable allows for clients to take part in business 
matchmaking across the diverse Europe/Eurasia marketplace by offering 
scheduled business-to-business meetings in T[uuml]rkiye, Denmark, 
Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland and Romania. This structure ensures that each 
post has set days for meetings that allow the clients to explore at 
least three of their best prospects for business. The final schedule 
will depend on the availability of host government and business 
officials, specific goals of mission participants, and ground 
transportation.

Thursday, May 9, 2024--Trade mission participants arrive in Italy or 
Romania
Friday, May 10, 2024--Business-to-Business matchmaking meetings and 
evening networking receptions
Saturday, May 11, 2024--Travel day
Sunday, May 12, 2024--Trade mission participants arrive in Istanbul
Monday, May 13, 2024--Istanbul:
    Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Business Forum market briefings
    Self-scheduled consultations with U.S. government trade 
representatives
    Networking reception with Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Business Forum 
participants
Tuesday, May 14, 2024--Istanbul:
    Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Business Forum market briefings
    Self-scheduled consultations with U.S. government trade 
representatives
    Trade Winds main reception with U.S. and Turkish government and 
business attendees
Wednesday, May 15, 2024--Istanbul:
    Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia Business Forum market briefings
    Self-scheduled consultations with U.S. government trade 
representatives
    Business-to-Business matchmaking meetings
Thursday, May 16, 2024--Depart Istanbul and arrive in Denmark, 
Kazakhstan, or Poland
    No-host dinner or networking activity with mission delegates and 
U.S. Embassy officials
Friday, May 17, 2024--Business-to-Business mission matchmaking meetings 
and evening networking receptions

Participation Requirements

    All parties interested in participating in the trade mission to 
T[uuml]rkiye (including mission stops with business matchmaking in 
T[uuml]rkiye, Denmark, Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland and/or Romania must 
complete and submit an application package for consideration by 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. A minimum of 45 and a maximum of 55 firms 
and/or trade associations will be selected to participate in the 
mission on a rolling basis. Mission stop participation will be limited 
as follows:

T[uuml]rkiye: 30
Denmark: 15
Italy: 15
Kazakhstan: 5
Poland: 15
Romania: 15

    Additional delegates may be accepted on available space. U.S. firms 
and/or

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trade associations already doing business in T[uuml]rkiye, Denmark, 
Italy, Kazakhstan, Poland and Romania or seeing business in these 
markets for the first time may apply.

Fees and Expenses

    After a firm or trade association 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 fees are as follow:
    The participation fee will be $2,200 for small or medium-sized 
enterprises (SME) and $4,200 for large firms, which includes the 
Business Forum in Istanbul and one mission stop. The fee for each 
additional mission stop is $1,200 and there will be a $500 fee for each 
additional firm representative (large firm or SME). There is no 
additional fee for additional representatives at the same stop. The fee 
for firms to only participate in the Business Forum in Istanbul from 
May 13-15, 2024 is $750 per attendee.
    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 is required. Upon notification of 
acceptance to participate, those selected have 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.
    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.
    Travel and in-person activities are contingent upon the safety and 
health conditions in the United States and the mission countries. 
Should safety or health conditions not be appropriate for travel and/or 
in-person activities, the Department will consider postponing the event 
or offering a virtual program in lieu of an in-person agenda. In the 
event of a postponement, the Department will notify the public and 
applicants previously selected to participate in this mission will need 
to confirm their availability but need not reapply. Should the decision 
be made to organize a virtual program, the Department will adjust fees 
accordingly, prepare an agenda for virtual activities, and notify the 
previously selected applicants with the option to opt-in to the new 
virtual program.

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 
Department of Commerce trade mission calendar (http://export.gov/trademissions) and other internet websites, 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 March 31, 2024. The 
Department of Commerce will evaluate applications and inform applicants 
of selection decisions on a rolling basis until the maximum number of 
participants has been selected. Applications received after March 31, 
2024, will be considered only if space and scheduling constraints 
permit.

Contacts

U.S. Contact Information

Jim Mayfield, Director, U.S. Commercial Service Irvine, CA; 
[email protected], Tel: 949-246-1768
Judy Kornfeld, National Events Manager, U.S. Commercial Service; 
[email protected], Tel: 202-482-1239

T[uuml]rkiye Contact Information

Yasue Pai, Principal Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service 
Istanbul; [email protected], Tel: 90-501-706-3388

Gemal Brangman,
Director, ITA Events Management Task Force.
[FR Doc. 2023-26062 Filed 11-24-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DR-P