[United States Government Manual] [June 01, 2008] [Pages 534-537] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCY 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1600, Arlington, VA 22209-3901 Phone, 703-875-4357. Fax, 703-875-4009. E-mail, info@ustda.gov. Internet, www.ustda.gov. Director Larry W. Walther Deputy Director Leocadia I. Zak General Counsel James A. Wilderotter Chief of Staff Thomas R. Hardy Director for Policy and Programs Geoffrey Jackson Resource Advisor Michael Hillier Communications/Policy Advisor Donna Thiessen Congressional Relations Liaison Amy Lorenzini Regional Directors: East Asia Geoffrey Jackson Europe and Eurasia Daniel D. Stein Latin America and Caribbean Nathan Younge Middle East and North Africa Carl B. Kress South and Southeast Asia Henry D. Steingass Sub-Saharan Africa Paul Marin Economist/Evaluation Officer David Denny Financial Manager Noreen St. Louis Contracts Manager Richard Sallee Administrative Officer Carolyn Hum Grants Administrator Patricia Daughetee ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Trade and Development Agency's mission is to advance economic development and U.S. commercial interest in developing and middle-income countries in the following regions of the world: East Asia, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, South and Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. The Trade and Development Program 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 the Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) 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). USTDA is a foreign assistance agency that delivers its program commitments through overseas grants, contracts with [[Page 535]] [GRAPHIC] [TIFF OMITTED] T214669.064 [[Page 536]] U.S. firms, and the use of trust funds at several multilateral development bank groups. The projects supported by USTDA activities represent strong and measurable development priorities in host countries and offer opportunities for commercial participation by U.S. firms. Public and private sector project sponsors, in developing and middle- income countries, request USTDA support to assist them in implementing their development priorities. USTDA helps countries establish a favorable trading environment and a modern infrastructure that promotes sustainable economic development. To this end, USTDA funds overseas projects and sponsors access to U.S. private sector expertise in the areas of project definition and investment analysis and trade capacity building and sector development. Project definition and investment analysis involves activities that support large capital investments that contribute to overseas infrastructure development. Trade capacity building and sector development supports the establishment of industry standards, rules and regulations, trade agreements, market liberalization, and other policy reform. USTDA works with other U.S. Government agencies to bring their particular expertise and resources to a development objective. These agencies include the Departments of State, the Treasury, Commerce, Transportation, Energy, Agriculture, and Homeland Security; the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; the Export-Import Bank of the United States; and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation. Activities USTDA funds various forms of technical assistance, training, early investment analysis, orientation visits, and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair and open trading environment. Working closely with a foreign project sponsor, USTDA makes its funds available on the condition that the foreign entity contract with a U.S. firm to perform the activity funded. This affords American firms market entry, exposure, and information, thus helping them to establish a position in markets that are otherwise difficult to penetrate. USTDA is involved in many sectors, including transportation, energy, telecommunications, environment, health care, mining and minerals development, biotechnology, and agriculture. USTDA-funded studies evaluate the technical, economic, and financial aspects of a development project. They also advise the host nation about the availability of U.S. goods and services and can be used by financial institutions in assessing the creditworthiness of an undertaking. Grants are based on an official request for assistance made by the sponsoring government or private sector organization of a developing or middle- income nation. Study costs typically are shared between USTDA and the U.S. firm developing the project. The Agency makes decisions on funding requests based on the recommendations contained in definitional mission or desk study reports, the advice of the U.S. Embassy, and its own internal analysis. Sources of Information Requests for proposals to conduct USTDA-funded technical assistance and feasibility studies, or definitional missions involving review of projects under consideration for USTDA support are listed on the Federal Business Opportunities Web site at www.fbo.gov. Small and minority U.S. firms that wish to be considered for future USTDA desk study solicitations should register with the Agency's online Consultant Database at www.ustda.gov/consultantdb. In an effort to provide timely information on Agency-supported activities, USTDA sends out an eNewsletter with current business opportunities and a calendar of events on a biweekly basis. A free e- mail subscription is available at www.ustda.gov. A quarterly publication, USTDA Update, contains current items of interest on a variety of program activities. Region- or sector-specific fact [[Page 537]] sheets and case studies also are available. An annual report summarizes the Agency's activities. Agency news, reports, and lists of upcoming events are available at www.ustda.gov. USTDA's library maintains final reports on the Agency's activities. The reports are available for public review Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Copies of completed studies may be purchased through the Department of Commerce's National Technical Information Service at www.ntis.gov. Regional program inquiries should be directed to the assigned Country Manager. Phone, 703-875-4357. Fax, 703-875-4009. E-mail, info@ustda.gov. For further information, contact the Trade and Development Agency, Suite 1600, 1000 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209-3901. Phone, 703-875- 4357. Fax, 703-875-4009. E-mail, info@ustda.gov. Internet, www.ustda.gov. ------------------------------------------------------------------------