The Cutting Edge™ - November 2003

Export Development

Business Guide to Federal Export Assistance
2003–2004 Edition
By Harold Zassenhaus, WMMA® Export Director (zemg@erols.com)

The Trade Information Center (TIC) within the US Department of Commerce (USDOC) has recently updated its Export Programs Guide. This guide is a listing of all federal government programs that assist US companies in exporting their goods and services. There are 19 different agencies offering assistance to the US exporter and the guide lists virtually all their programs. Most programs are administered by USDOC.

For additional information on the listings in this guide or for any export questions you have, please contact the Trade Information Center (TIC). The TIC is the first stop for information on federal export assistance programs plus general, regional, and country counseling. To contact a trade specialist, call 1-800-USA-TRAD(E), e-mail tic@ita.doc.gov, or search TIC’s on-line resources at http://www.trade.gov/td/tic/ .

As I have mentioned formally and informally, US Department of Commerce export promotion programs are fine in concept. Unfortunately, the level of service and consistency between programs and within program units can vary greatly. I offer this advice not to dissuade members from using its services but more to urge you not to give up just because one program or one officer in a foreign country fails to provide an acceptable service. As a final note of caution before listing the better programs: the website addresses listed below were accurate as of the printing of this article… they may well change and without notice.

The following is a summary of some of the programs I think are most valuable as well as some with which much of the exporting community is unfamiliar. They are listed by Export Programs Guide chapter.

Chapter 1: General Export Counseling and Assistance
The US Department of Commerce has counselors throughout the US and in most countries that can support your needs. See www.trade.gov/td/tic for a listing of offices. For your reference, if you want to know the name of the commercial offer in a particular US embassy or consulate, the easiest way is to access the US State Department site, http://www.foia.state.gov/MMS/KOH/keyofficers.asp

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers some unique support that you may not be aware of such as:

• The Export Legal Assistance Network (ELAN): a nationwide group of private attorneys experienced in international trade law that provide free initial consultations to new-to-export businesses. ELAN is available through the SBA office nearest you (800 U-ASK-SBA for a listing of offices); www.fita.org/elan.
• The Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE): mostly senior retired private company executives who act as mentors and provide one-on-one long term service to the novice exporter. National SCORE Office: 800 634 0245; www.score.org

Chapter 2: Industry-Specific Counseling and Assistance
Again, the Department of Commerce Foreign Commercial Service has “industry specialists” in larger posts. See above for contact information.

Strangely, the Guide does not mention the US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) which is similar to the US Department of Commerce’s Foreign Commercial Service. In most woodworking countries, the FAS has an officer who can provide assistance. FAS officers prepare annual “Solid Wood Products” research in most relevant markets and although the research targets the US lumber and log supplier, members can gain some insights into the end use markets (furniture, materials handling, construction, etc.) as well as good general information on the country. Go to www.fas.usda.gov for more information.

Chapter 3: Country Specific Counseling and Assistance
Again the US Department of Commerce has counselors throughout the US and in most countries that can support your needs. See www.trade.gov/td/tic for a listing of offices. For your reference, if you want to know the name of the commercial officer in a particular country, access the US State Department site, http://www.foia.state.gov/MMS/KOH/keyofficers.asp or a listing of overseas officers.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) has officers in most countries that can provide assistance, especially for information and assistance regarding the woodworking industry.

The USDOC has a region specific hotlines or websites that you may want to be aware of:
Business Information Service for the Newly Independent States (BISNIS). Go to www.bisnis.doc.gov for more information.

Chapter 4: Trade Contact and Market Research Programs
Under this heading there are no fewer than 25 programs and services, mostly offered by the USDOC, SBA and USAID. Some are customized services for US firms planning to visit overseas markets and need help in identifying and setting up meetings with potential clients and dealers (the “Gold Key” and Platinum Key” services). Others provide customized responses to questions and issues you have regarding the market’s potential (“Flexible Market Research”). Still others advertise your products, provide a virtual trade show and an on-line catalog. Contact your nearest USDOC office for assistance or go to http://www.export.gov/comm_svc/ .

SBA (http://www.sba.gov/oit/) and the USDOC (www.myexports.com) offer electronic trade opportunity programs where overseas opportunities are matched to your registered profile.

Chapter 5: Making Contacts through Trade Promotion Events
USDOC organizes a number of commercial, market access, policy and virtual trade missions. Access for more information and contacts for each scheduled mission.

Chapter 6: Special Market Access and Technical Assistance
Listed and briefly explained in this chapter are:

• Offices designed to inform companies of other country product standards such as the National Center for Standards and Certification Information, www.ts.nist.gov/ncsci
• Offices that oversee US international agreements to ensure that the other party(ies) are abiding by the agreement (http://www.trade.gov/td/advocacy) and
• The office which works to open foreign markets to American goods by concentrating on market access issues and developing strategies to help specific firms overcome the obstacles (www.mac.doc.gov).

Chapter 7: Export Finance, Insurance and Grants (non-agricultural)
Check out and bookmark www.exim.gov for a complete listing and description of the US Export-Import Bank’s insurance, loan and loan guarantee programs. Of particular interest to most exporting members should be the ExIm’s Export Credit Insurance Programs designed to provide terms for your foreign purchaser with no risk to the exporter.

Did you know that the SBA also provides loans and loan guarantees for US exporters? They even have an “Export Express” loan program to help small businesses by allowing lenders to use streamlined and expedited loan review and approval procedures to process export loan guarantees up to $150,000. Go to www.sba.gov/oit/exportexpress.html for more information.

The number of services provided are mind numbing, can be confusing as well as frustrating. But, they can also be very useful. Be informed and be persistent and you will be able to profitable tackle some overseas markets.

For last month’s issue, “The 2004 Trade Fair Program,” click here.