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Federal
Financing and Assistance Introduction The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), in conjunction with the Export Council for Energy Efficiency, prepared Federal Financing and Assistance Resources for Energy Efficiency Exports to help local governments, states, companies, and others to navigate the array of export promotion resources provided by the federal government. This directory serves as a jumping off point for interested parties. Many of these programs are in transition due to changing budget and political priorities. For this reason, Internet links are provided wherever possible so that the reader can keep abreast of program changes and thus keep this document up-to-date. Many of the programs listed are not directed solely toward energy efficiency and target broader audiences. These programs are included because they may be important resources, or may become more important as a company moves through the export process. The overall goal of this directory is not to list every program of the federal government, but rather to focus on those that would be of immediate interest to both government officials and the beginning exporter. There are ample listings of contacts for the reader to research more precise questions or problems. For the beginner, it is highly recommended that the National Export Directory be the first web site to visit, as this is among the most complete listing of contacts for export programs in the United States. The National Export Directory not only contains most federal offices, but state and local offices as well, and the directory itself is organized by state for easy use. The second Web site to visit is the Export Assistance Center Directory, which is also organized by state and lists the Export Assistance Center contact for each state. The third stop for the beginner should be the Trade Information Center, which strives to be the federal government's one-stop shop for exporters. While the Trade Information Center may fall short in this goal, it has made significant progress and can provide most of the information that an exporter will require. These three resources together will offer the beginning exporter a strong foundation. As the exporter becomes more sophisticated in their information needs, it is hoped that this directory will provide enough additional information to significantly reduce research time. Please note that Federal Financing and Assistance Resources for Energy
Efficiency Exports is a compilation of publicly available information.
Support for this document was provided by the Export Council for Energy
Efficiency (ECEE) and the US Department of Energy (award
DE-FC41-94R110679). This support does not constitute an endorsement by the
US Department of Energy of the views expressed in the article.
A. International Trade Administration 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 202-482-2867, Fax: 202-482-4821 The International Trade Administration is dedicated to helping U.S. businesses compete in the global marketplace by assisting U.S. exports, by ensuring that U.S. businesses have equal access to foreign markets, and by enabling U.S. businesses to compete against unfairly traded imports. 1. The Commercial Service 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 202-482-5777, Fax: 202-482-5013 The Commercial Service is strategically located in more than 220 cities worldwide to assist U.S. exporters. Overseas, the Commercial Service is present in 78 countries, which represent more than 95 percent of the world market for U.S. exports. In the United States, the Commercial Service operates a hub-and-spoke network of 100 Export Assistance Centers, which offer companies a comprehensive range of export facilitation services in one location. Many Commercial Service export promotion products are designed
specifically for small and medium-sized companies, including the
Matchmaker program, which links U.S. firms with trading partners abroad to
help U.S. businesses expand sales around the globe.
a. The Commercial Service Export Assistance Centers are strategically
located one-stop shops for exporters. Representatives of the Department of
Commerce and the Small Business Administration — two federal agencies
with extensive export promotion field networks — were combined and, in
some cases, the Ex-Im Bank representatives were included as well. These
Export Assistance Centers are designed to (1) provide exporters with
information on all U.S. government export promotion and export finance
services; (2) assist exporters in identifying which federal programs may
be of greater assistance, and (3) help exporters make contact with those
federal programs.
b. 2. Trade Development experts monitor, analyze, and provide information on
hundreds of industries — from basic industries to new emerging
high-technology industries. This collection of expertise is found nowhere
else — inside or outside the government. Without this information and
analysis, the United States would be far less successful in efforts to
break foreign barriers, to protect property rights, and to further the
interests of American businesses internationally.
a. The Energy Division monitors overseas trade and investment
opportunities and informs U.S. industry of these opportunities; advocates
on behalf of U.S. energy firms; monitors trade policy issues and develops
appropriate, interagency strategies to remove foreign trade barriers;
offers trade promotion services and export counseling; and provides policy
support for other units within the U.S. government.
b. The Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) is a competitive
matching grants program that builds public/private partnerships by
providing federal assistance to non-profit export multipliers such as
states, trade associations, chambers of commerce, world trade centers, and
other non-profit industry groups that are particularly effective in
reaching small and medium-sized enterprises. MDCP awards help to
underwrite the start-up costs of exciting new export marketing ventures
that these groups are often reluctant to undertake without federal
government support.
c. The Environmental Technology Exports (ETE) Office is the principal
resource and key contact point within the U.S. Department of Commerce for
American environmental technology companies. ETE's goal is to facilitate
and increase exports of environmental technologies, goods, and services by
providing support and guidance to U.S. exporters.
3. Market Access and Compliance (MAC) officers help U.S. businesses to
overcome barriers to trade and investment. With expertise on nearly 200
countries, they provide critical, in-depth information enabling U.S.
firms, particularly small and medium-sized companies, to benefit fully
from market access openings from the over 200 trade agreements that the
U.S. has concluded over the past five years. Such expertise is vital to
full and open access for U.S. business entering or expanding into world
markets.
a. The Trade Information Center is a comprehensive resource for
information on all federal government export assistance programs. The
Center is operated by the International Trade Administration of the U.S.
Department of Commerce for the 20 federal agencies comprising the Trade
Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC). These agencies are responsible
for managing the U.S. government's export promotion programs and
activities. The Center's trade specialists can help you access reports
from the computerized National Trade Data Bank, which includes over
200,000 government documents related to export promotion and international
markets. The Trade Information Center staff can also direct businesses to
state and local government offices and private organizations that provide
additional export assistance.
b. The National Export Directory (NED) was developed by the U.S. Commerce Department's Trade Information Center to better inform U.S. exporters about trade contacts at the federal, state, and local levels. Each entry contains the agency title, address, telephone and fax numbers, contact person, and, in some cases, additional information. The NED contains contact information for state trade offices, trade
finance offices, trade centers, and foreign trade zones. There are also
listings of the local or regional offices of the following U.S. government
agencies: the U.S. Department of Commerce (International Trade
Administration, U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service, Bureau of Export
Administration, and Minority Business Development Administration), the
Export-Import Bank of the United States, the Small Business
Administration, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
B. The Bureau of Export Administration (BEA) enhances the nation's
security and its economic prosperity by controlling exports for national
security, foreign policy, and short supply reasons. The BEA administers
the Export Administration Act by developing export control policies,
issuing export licenses, and prosecuting violators. Additionally, the
Bureau enforces the anti-boycott provisions.
II. Export-Import Bank of the United States The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) is not an aid or development agency, but a government held-corporation, managed by a Board of Directors consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, and three additional Board Members. Members serve for staggered terms and are chosen and serve at the discretion of the President of the United States. Ex-Im Bank provides guarantees of working capital loans for U.S. exporters, guarantees the repayment of loans, or makes loans to foreign purchasers of U.S. goods and services and provides credit insurance against non-payment by foreign buyers for political or commercial risk. Ex-Im Bank must also balance its mandate, that there exists a reasonable assurance of repayment. Ex-Im Bank Headquarters 811 Vermont Avenue NW Washington, DC 20571 Tel: 202-565-3946 or 800-565-3946, Fax: 202-565-3380 New York Regional Office, 6 World Trade Center, Suite 635, New York, NY 10048 Tel: 212-466-2950, Fax: 212-466-2959 Miami Regional Office, 5600 NW 36th Street, Suite 617, Miami, FL 33159-0570 Tel: (305) 526-7425, Fax: (305) 526-7435 Chicago U.S. Export Assistance Center, 55 W. Monroe Street, Suite 2440, Chicago, IL 60603 Tel: 312-353-8081, Fax: 312-353-8098 Houston Regional Office, 1880 South Dairy Ashford Road, II Suite 585, Houston, TX 77077 Tel: 281-721-0465, Fax: 281-679-0156 Long Beach Regional Office, 1 World Trade Center, Suite 1670, Long
Beach, CA 90831 Tel: 562-980-4580, Fax: 562-980-4590
A. The Export-Import Bank of the United States is committed to increasing the level of support it provides to exporters of environmentally beneficial goods and services as well as to exporters participating in foreign environmental projects. To achieve this objective, Ex-Im Bank has designed a special Environmental Exports Program that will provide enhanced levels of support for a broad range of environmental exports. Ex-Im Bank has resolved to reach out to small and large exporters of environmental products and services. The major features of the program are as follows: Exports of products and services specifically used to aid in the
abatement, control, or prevention of air, water, and ground contamination
or pollution, or which provide protection in the handling of toxic
substances will be considered eligible for support, subject to a final
determination by Ex-Im Bank. The following are examples of the types of
exports generally considered eligible: Instruments to measure or monitor
air or water quality; Emission control devices; Effluent pollution control
devices; Equipment for systems for waste disposal, refuse collection and
waste water treatment; Services to upgrade environmental regulations:
environmental assessments, design, and training; Ecological studies and
ecological monitoring equipment; Toxic material handling devices; Certain
renewable and alternative energy equipment.
B. Ex-Im Bank's project financing program will assist U.S. exporters to compete in new international growth industries such as the development of private power and other infrastructure. While such a financing structure has been used successfully in the past for oil and gas, mining, and power projects, the move toward "privatization" by sovereign entities has created new opportunities for U.S. exporters in telecommunications, transportation and other sectors. While Ex-Im Bank's analytical approach for limited recourse project
finance is different from the traditional trade finance approach, many of
Ex-Im Bank's requirements remain the same. Disbursement procedures, U.S.
content, eligibility of foreign content and local costs, shipping
requirements, and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development
guidelines remain consistent throughout both approaches.
III. U.S. Department of Energy Export Resources A. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has a number of
activities focusing on assisting U.S. exporters of energy efficiency and
environmentally sensitive technologies and services.
1. The Committee on Energy Efficiency, Commerce, and Trade (COEECT) is an
interagency working group comprising representatives from 15 U.S. federal
government agencies, chaired by the U.S. Department of Energy. COEECT
works closely with the Export Council for Energy Efficiency to undertake
market assessment for energy efficiency products and services, identify
project financing from federal and multilateral institutions, and address
the specific needs of the energy efficiency industry.
2. The Committee on Renewable Energy, Commerce, and Trade (CORECT) is an interagency working group comprising representatives from 15 U.S. federal government agencies, chaired by the U.S. Department of Energy. CORECT works closely with the U.S. Export Council for Renewable Energy to promote renewable energy exports in international markets and ensure that renewable energy technologies and applications are integrated into development projects. 3. The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Energy Project Office of Energy Outreach 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 Andre Van Rest Tel: 202-586-9793, Fax: 202-586-1605 The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Energy Project aims to
sustain the growth and development of the Asia-Pacific Region and to
reduce barriers to trade in goods, services, and investment. APEC's Energy
Project exchanges information on basic resource demand and supply outlook
data, contributes to decision making by opening dialogues on national
energy policy, and considers the implications of regional energy policy on
international issues such as global warming. The energy efficiency
component attempts to disseminate information on demonstrated U.S. energy
efficiency technologies to decision makers in the APEC countries and
identify markets in APEC nations.
4. The Center for the Analysis and Dissemination of Demonstrated Energy
Technologies (CADDET) is an International Energy Agency program
responsible for collecting and disseminating information on demonstrated
energy efficient technologies. CADDET's objective is to broaden and
improve the exchange of information on energy-saving technologies that
have been demonstrated in applications in industry, buildings,
transportation, utilities, and agriculture. Each CADDET member country
contributes information on demonstrated technologies and then CADDET
disseminates the results of these demonstrations back to the member
countries through publications and mailings.
5. The Greenhouse Gas Technology Information Exchange (GREENTIE) is an
initiative of the International Energy Agency and the Organization for
Economic Cooperation and Development. It supports those who tackle
greenhouse gas related problems by exchanging information on technologies.
Information on organizations and their expertise is contained in
GREENTIE's database directory. The directory includes the addresses of
those who can help put greenhouse gas mitigation technologies to work and
provides background information on the services and technologies provided.
B. The Office of Policy and International Affairs has a number of
activities focusing on assisting U.S. exporters of energy technologies and
services. While there is no specific focus on energy efficiency, these
offices may contain contact information that may be of interest to
exporters.
1. 2. Office of Policy Analysis for Europe, NIS, and the Middle East Room: 7G-090 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585 Leonard Coburn Tel: 202-586-3712, Fax: 202-586-0823 E-mail: leonard.coburn@hq.doe.gov 3. Office of Policy Analysis for the Americas, Asia
and Africa Room: 7G-076 1000 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20585
David Pumphrey Tel: 202-586-6832, Fax: 202-586-6148 E-mail: david.pumphrey@hq.doe.gov
IV. Multilateral Development Bank Operations International Trade Administration U.S. Department of Commerce 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Room 1107 Washington, DC 20230 Tel: 202-482-3399, Fax: 202-273-0927 Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) are international lending institutions owned by member countries. The MDBs' objective is to promote economic and social progress in developing member nations by providing loans, technical assistance, capital investment, and help with economic development plans. A. African Development Bank Mark Herrling, Commercial Liaison U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service Ambassade des Etats Unis d'Amerique 5 Rue Jesse Owens 01 B.P. 1712 Abidjan 01, Cote d'Ivoire Mailing Address: American Embassy Abidjan Department of State Washington, DC 20520-2010 Tel: 225-21-46-16, Fax: 225-22-24-37 E-mail: MHerrlin@doc.gov The African Development Bank, headquartered in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire, is an international financial institution created by Africans in 1963 to promote the economic and social development of its member African countries. The African Development Bank consists of three institutions: the African Development Bank, the African Development Fund, and the Nigerian Trust Fund. B. Asian Development Bank Denny Barnes, Senior Commercial Officer Commercial Liaison to the ADB U.S. Embassy Manila APO AP 96440 Tel: 632-890-9364, Fax: 632-890-9713 E-mail: DBarnes3@doc.gov The Asian Development Bank is a multilateral development bank
headquartered in Manila, and founded in 1966. The banks's primary
objective is poverty alleviation through sustainable economic growth.
C. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was established in
1991 to foster the transition toward open-market-oriented economies and to
promote private and entrepreneurial initiative in the central eastern
European countries committed to and applying the fundamental principles of
multiparty democracy, pluralism, and market economics.
D. The Inter-American Development Bank is an international financial
institution whose lending activities are specifically targeted to Latin
America and the Caribbean. Since its establishment in 1959, the bank has
lent more than $68 billion for development projects totaling approximately
$180 billion throughout the region.
E. The World Bank is a multilateral lending agency consisting of four
closely associated institutions: the International Bank for Reconstruction
and Development, the International Development Agency, the International
Finance Corporation, and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency.
V. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) is a self-sustaining agency that supports economic growth in developing countries by facilitating U.S. private investment. OPIC assists American investors through four principal activities designed to promote overseas investment and reduce the associated risks: (1) financing of businesses through loans and loan guaranties; (2) supporting private investment funds that provide equity for U.S. companies investing in projects overseas; (3) insuring investments against a broad range of political risks; and (4) engaging in outreach activities designed to inform the American business community of investment opportunities overseas. A. Investment Finance Frank L. Langhammer Vice President Finance Department 1100 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20527 Tel: 202-336-8480, Fax: 202-408-9866 OPIC provides project financing through direct loans and loan guarantees that offer medium- to long-term funding to ventures involving significant equity and/or management participation by U.S. businesses. Rather than relying on sovereign or sponsor guarantees, project financing looks for repayment from the cash flows generated by projects. Therefore, OPIC carefully analyzes the economic, technical, marketing, and financial soundness of each project. There must be an adequate cash flow to pay all operational costs, to service all debt, and to provide the owners with an adequate return on their investments. To the extent that such project financing is appropriate, sponsors need not pledge their own general credit beyond the required completion undertakings. In ventures where project financing is impractical, OPIC will consider more conventional secured lending techniques. B. Investment Insurance Julie A. Martin Vice President, Insurance Department 1100 New York Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20527 Tel: 202-336-8586, Fax: 202-408-5142 Insurance is available for investments in new ventures or expansions of
existing enterprises and can cover equity investments, parent company and
third-party loans and loan guarantees, technical assistance agreements,
cross-border leases, assigned inventory or equipment, and other forms of
investment. Coverage is also available for contractors' and exporters'
exposures, including unresolved contractual disputes, wrongful calling of
bid, performance, advance payment and other guarantees posted in favor of
foreign buyers, and other risks. OPIC insurance can cover the following
three political risks: (1) currency inconvertibility; (2)
expropriation/nationalization; and (3) political violence. OPIC also has
specialized insurance programs for financial institutions, leasing
arrangements, oil and gas projects, natural resource projects, and
contractors and exporters.
VI. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency A. The Office of International Activities (OIA) at EPA enlists the
cooperation of other nations in solving environmental problems of concern
to the United States. Providing leadership and coordination on behalf of
the EPA Administrator and working closely with other EPA Headquarters and
Regional Offices, OIA manages EPA programs with Mexico, Canada, and other
priority countries; provides leadership, analysis, and coordination for
international negotiations on trade and environment, marine pollution, and
other international policy initiatives; manages the Agency's international
technology diffusion and technical assistance programs; and provides
essential support services, including interagency coordination, management
of the Agency's international travel, and liaison with U.S. missions
abroad. EPA's international programs also support important U.S. foreign
policy, economic, and security objectives in Russia, China, India, South
Africa, Egypt, and other critical parts of the world.
1. The U.S. Country Studies Program provides financial and technical
assistance to developing and transition countries in carrying out national
studies on climate change. Regional and sectoral oversight for this
program is provided by the U.S. Country Studies Management Team, in which
EPA participates. Fifty-five countries currently participate in the
program. These countries are developing inventories of their anthropogenic
emissions of greenhouse gases, assessing their vulnerabilities to climate
change, evaluating response strategies for mitigating and adapting to
climate change, formulating national climate change action plans, and
performing technology assessments. A new phase of the program, Support for
National Action Plans (SNAP), provides technical and financial support for
preparation of national action plans, in-depth evaluations of climate
change technology needs, and opportunities to promote technology
diffusion.
2. The U.S. Initiative on Joint Implementation (USIJI) is a voluntary pilot program contributing to the international knowledge base of joint implementation through projects designed to reduce or sequester greenhouse gas emissions in different geographic regions. Introduced in negotiations leading up to the 1992 Earth Summit, the concept of joint implementation was formally adopted in the text of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Two or more countries can work together in implementing cooperative development projects, thereby reducing emissions at a lower cost than would be possible if each country acted alone. USIJI will provide public recognition and selected technical assistance to approved projects. 3. U.S. Technology for International Environmental Solutions Mark Kasman and Sarita Hoyt EPA Office of International Activities Tel: 202-260-2404 or 202-260-0051, Fax: 202-260-4470 The U.S. Technology for International Environmental Solutions (U.S.
TIES) initiative is an interagency technology dissemination program
designed to enlist greater participation of the U.S. private sector in
achieving U.S. environmental objectives overseas. Led by EPA, the
public/private partnership uses international technical assistance and
training, information exchange, and technology demonstrations to match
pressing environmental problems abroad with the suppliers of proven and
cost effective technologies in the United States. By enlisting the
cooperation of other federal agencies and the U.S. private sector in
disseminating U.S. environmental technologies and expertise overseas, the
U.S. TIES initiative reduces environmental problems at the global,
regional, and national levels.
B. 1. Environmental Technology Initiative 401 M Street, SW (2127) Washington, DC 20460 ETI Infoline: 202-260-2686 The Environmental Technology Initiative (ETI) is a series of activities
aimed at promoting the export of environmental technologies, including
energy efficiency. These initiatives include funding for the International
Fund for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (IFREE) and the U.S.
Technology for International Environmental Solutions (U.S. TIES) program.
VII. A. The Global Technology Network (GTN) facilitates the transfer of U.S.
technology to countries and regions assisted by the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID). As USAID missions and local public- and
private-sector partners identify development problems, GTN, through its
extensive databases, is able to match the developing country's needs with
specific U.S. companies having the appropriate technologies, expertise,
and products to address the problem. GTN focuses on identifying
international business opportunities in environment and energy,
agriculture, health, and communication and information technologies.
B. The Energy Management Consultation and Training Project (EMCAT),
sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aims to
improve the management of the supply and end-use of energy in India.
Approximately $22 million of USAID funding, in conjunction with about $600
million in loans from international development institutions, is providing
technical assistance, training, and equipment to public utilities, private
industry, and energy professionals throughout India. The intent of the
program is to improve the availability, reliability, and efficient use of
energy through improved management, policy reform, and public awareness.
C. The Environmental Pollution Prevention Project (EP3) is a five-year program sponsored by the USAID to address urban and industrial pollution and environmental quality in developing countries. The objectives of the program are to establish sustainable pollution prevention programs in developing countries, to inform about and transfer urban and industrial pollution prevention expertise and information, and to support efforts to improve environmental quality. D. The Environmental and Natural Resources Policy and Training Project The Environmental and Natural Resources Policy and Training Project (EPAT)
is implemented, in part, by 15 universities and developmental organization
members of the Midwest Universities Consortium for International
Activities, Inc. (MUCIA). EPAT/MUCIA provides research, training, and
communication in energy, industry & the urban environment; forestry
and watershed management; macroeconomic policy population and the
environment; institutions and policy implementation; environmental policy
training; and environmental policy communication.
VIII. U.S. Department of State A. The Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs formulates and implements
policies regarding foreign economic matters and international trade
promotion and business services.
1. Energy, Sanctions, and Commodities 2201 C Street, NW Room 3529
Washington, DC 20520 Ambassador William Ramsay Tel: 202-647-1498, Fax:
202-647-5713 a. International Energy Policy Office Room 3529 William Weingarten Tel:
202-647-2875, Fax: 202-647-5713 (1). Energy Consumer Country Affairs Room 3529 Stephen Muller Tel:
202-647-3423, Fax: 202-647-5713 (2). Energy Producer Country Affairs Room 3535 Stephen Gallogly Tel:
202-647-3036, Fax: 202-647-5713 b. Economic Sanctions Policy Office Room 3329 David Moran Tel:
202-647-5673, Fax: 202-647-5713 2. International Communications and Information Policy 2201 C Street,
NW Room 4826 Washington, DC 20520 Ambassador Vonya B. McCann Tel:
202-647-5212, Fax: 202-647-5713 3. International Finance and Development 2201 C Street, NW Room 3336
Washington, DC 20520 Barbara Griffith Tel: 202-647-9496, Fax: 202-647-5713 4. Trade, Policy, and Programs 2201 C Street, NW Room 3831A Washington,
DC 20520 David Marchick Tel: 202-647-2532, Fax: 202-647-5713 5. Transportation Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 5830 Washington, DC
20520 Joel Spiro Tel: 202-647-4045, Fax: 202-647-5713 B. Political Affairs — Regional Bureaus 2201 C Street, NW Room 7240
Washington, DC 20520 Tel: 202-647-2471, Fax: 202-647-4780
Country desk officers in regional bureaus maintain regular contact with
overseas diplomatic missions and provide country-specific economic and
political analysis for U.S. companies. 1. African Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6234A Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 202-647-4440, Fax: 202-647-6301
a. Ada Adler, Commercial Coordinator Room 5242A Tel: 202-647-3503, Fax:
202-647-6301 2. East Asian and Pacific Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6205
Washington, DC 20520 Tel: 202-647-9596, Fax: 202-647-7350
a. John Kay, APEC Liaison Officer Room 5317 Tel: 202-647-3487, Fax:
202-647-7350 3. European and Canadian Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6226
Washington, DC 20520 Tel: 202-647-9626, Fax: 202-647-0967 4. Inter-American Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6263 Washington, DC
20520 Tel: 202-647-5780, Fax: 202-647-0791 5. International Organization Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6323
Washington, DC 20520 Tel: 202-647-9600, Fax: 202-736-4116 6. Near Eastern Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6242 Washington, DC
20520 Tel: 202-647-7209, Fax: 202-736-4462 7. South Asian Affairs 2201 C Street, NW Room 6254 Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 202-647-4325, Fax: 202-736-4333
IX. U.S. Trade and Development Agency The U.S. Trade Development Agency (TDA), through the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee (TPCC), works closely with the Department of Commerce, The Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and other export promotion agencies to advance American business interests abroad. TDA's most important funding activity is the grant funding of studies that evaluate the technical, legal, economic, and financial aspects of a development project in the concept stage. Since these project plans are required by financial institutions to assess the creditworthiness of a project before it can go forward, they provide American firms with the opportunity to get in on the "ground floor" of a project. Feasibility studies typically include procurement plans, contact information, technical data, financial information, and market studies — essential information for investors and developers, as well as for providers of goods and services (including small businesses). B. Definitional Missions and Desk Studies These missions comprise teams of technical specialists contracted for a short-term visit to a host country to gather additional information to analyze whether to proceed with a feasibility study. Definitional Missions, which are carried out exclusively by small and minority-owned businesses, also provide American small businesses with an opportunity to establish working relationships with foreign officials. Desk Studies are used by TDA when there is sufficient project information available, and an overseas visit is not necessary. In these situations, TDA hires a technical specialist to perform a review of the proposed project and to answer specific questions — without leaving the United States. Both of these evaluations review the nature of the project, its priority to the host government, its expected total cost, the likelihood of project financing, the need for a feasibility study, the scope of work and budget for the study, the project's environmental impact, the U.S. export potential, the expected impact on U.S. jobs, and the U.S. companies that could compete for procurement of goods and services for the project. Based on the recommendations contained in the Definitional Mission or Desk Study report, the advice of the U.S. Embassy, our internal analysis, and budget capabilities, TDA makes decisions on funding requests for feasibility studies. C. Technical Symposia, Orientation Visits, and Business Briefings TDA sponsors Technical Symposia, reverse trade missions called Orientation Visits, and Business Briefings. These activities familiarize foreign decision makers with U.S. goods and services and provide them with an opportunity to meet with U.S. suppliers. At our conferences, U.S. companies hear the results of feasibility studies, learn the nature and type of procurements that will be associated with specific projects, and meet one-on-one with senior officials from the country or company sponsoring the project. D. Trade-Related Training In certain regions, TDA also funds Trade-Related Training. This enables host country project personnel to receive necessary technical and managerial training when a U.S. firm is selected to implement the project. We also fund Technical Assistance to respond to the complex demands of a given project when required expertise is unavailable from the host country.
Support for this document was provided by the Export Council for Energy Efficiency (ECEE) and the US Department of Energy (award DE-FC41-94R110679). This support does not constitute an endorsement by the US Department of Energy of the views expressed in the article. National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), founded in 1986, is a nonprofit organization whose membership includes energy officials from the State and Territory Energy Offices and affiliates from the private and public sectors. NASEO is the state and territory energy officials' Washington voice on national energy issues-informing Congress, the administration, and regional and national organizations about the specific energy priorities and concerns of the states and territories. NASEO meetings and communications offer a forum for energy officials, policy makers, and others to exchange information and discuss important energy issues that have both regional and national implications.
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