[United States Government Manual]
[May 31, 1996]
[Pages 678-681]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

Room 309, State Annex 16, Washington, DC 20523-1602
Phone, 703-875-4357. E-mail, [email protected]. Internet, http://www.tda.gov/
Director                                         J. Joseph GrandMaison
Deputy Director                                  Nancy D. Frame
General Counsel                                  Kenneth Fries
Assistant Director for Management Operations     Deirdre E. Curley
Special Assistant for Policy/Public Affairs      Steven Mavigilio
Congressional Liaison Officer                    Erika M. Gaspar
Export Promotion Director                        Edward Cabot

Regional Directors:                                

  Africa and Middle East                         John Richter
  Central, Eastern, and Southern                 Geoffrey Jackson
    Europe
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  New Independent States, South                  Daniel D. Stein
      Asia, Mongolia, and India
  East Asia and Pacific Islands                  Frederick Eberhart
  Latin America and Caribbean                    Albert W. Angulo
  Special Projects                               Barbara R. Bradford
Economist/Evaluation Officer                     David Denny
Financial Manager                                Noreen St. Louis
Contracting Officer                              Della Glenn
Administrative Officer                           (vacancy)
________________________________________________________________________
The Trade and Development Agency's mission is to promote economic 
development in, and simultaneously export U.S. goods and services to, 
developing and middle-income nations in the following regions of the 
world: Africa/Middle East, Asia/Pacific, Central and Eastern Europe, 
Latin America and the Caribbean, and the New Independent States.

The Trade and Development Agency (TDA) was established on July 1, 1980, 
as a component organization of the International Development Cooperation 
Agency. Section 2204 of the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 
1988 (22 U.S.C. 2421) made it a separate component agency. The 
organization was renamed and made an independent agency within the 
executive branch of the Federal Government on October 28, 1992, by the 
Jobs Through Exports Act of 1992 (22 U.S.C. 2421).
    The Trade and Development Agency assists in the creation of jobs for 
Americans by helping U.S. companies pursue exports and other overseas 
business opportunities. It funds feasibility studies, orientation 
visits, training grants, business briefings, symposia, and various forms 
of technical assistance in support of specific projects, enabling 
American businesses to become involved in the planning of infrastructure 
and industrial projects in middle-income and developing nations. Working 
closely with a foreign nation sponsor, TDA makes its funds available on 
the condition that the foreign entity contracts with a U.S. firm to 
perform the actual work on the project. This affords American firms 
market entry, exposure, and information, thus helping them to establish 
a position in markets that are otherwise difficult to penetrate.
    The Agency's focus is the planning and design engineering phase of 
major infrastructure and industrial projects. It is involved in several 
sectors, including: agriculture, aviation, energy, environment, health 
care, manufacturing, mining and minerals development, 
telecommunications, transportation, and water resources.

Activities

The Agency funds feasibility studies (or project plans) which evaluate 
the technical, economic, and financial aspects of a development project. 
These studies advise the host nation about the availability of U.S. 
goods and services and are required by financial institutions in 
assessing the creditworthiness of the undertaking. Funding activities 
are based upon an official request for assistance made by the sponsoring 
government or private sector organization of a developing or middle-
income nation, and costs for a study typically are shared between TDA 
and the U.S. firm developing the project.
    The Agency makes decisions on funding requests for feasibility 
studies based on the recommendations contained in the definitional 
mission or desk study report, the advice of the U.S. Embassy, and its 
internal analysis.

Sources of Information

Requests for proposals (RFP's) to conduct feasibility studies funded by 
TDA are listed in the Commerce Business Daily. Information on 
definitional mission opportunities can be obtained by calling TDA's ``DM 
Hotline'' at 703-875-7447. Small and minority U.S. firms that wish to be 
included in TDA's consultant

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database and considered for future solicitations should contact TDA's 
Contracts Office at 703-875-4357.
    In an effort to provide timely information on Agency-supported 
projects, TDA publishes the Biweekly and a calendar of events which are 
available together on a paid subscription basis by calling 703-875-4246. 
A quarterly publication, TDA Update, contains current items of interest 
on a variety of program activities. Region- or sector-specific fact 
sheets and case studies also are available. An annual report summarizes 
the Agency's activities.
    Agency news, reports, and lists of upcoming orientation visits and 
business briefings are available on the Internet at http://www.tda.gov/.
    Regional program inquiries should be directed to the assigned 
Country Manager. Phone, 703-875-4357. Fax, 703-875-4009.
    TDA's library maintains final reports on all TDA activities. These 
are available for public review Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 
5:30 p.m. Copies of completed feasibility studies must be purchased 
through the Department of Commerce's National Technical Information 
Service (NTIS).

For further information, contact the Trade and Development Agency, Room 
309, State Annex 16, Washington, DC 20523-1602. Phone, 703-875-4357. E-
mail, [email protected]. Internet, http://www.tda.gov/.

________________________________________________________________________